Secrets to Sticking With It

Keeping your resolve to be healthy, active and a person of constant improvement can test you in many ways!  Our culture wants the "Secret to Overnight Success!" or "Three Simple Ways To Cheat Your Diet and Still Lose Weight!".  Losing 30 pounds in 3 months is much more appealing to most people than in a year.  When I first started running, it took 5 months to lose a mere 15 pounds!  It was excruciatingly slow!  Having a goal in mind is a good thing, but expecting overnight success is not fair!

I have a few people around me at all times who are attempting the next fad or wave or trend in weight loss, in health inprovement, mostly at the expense of their pocket books and waist lines.  The problem is this:  making weight loss alone  as my goal for me just will not work!  Numbers are an obsession for our culture.  But in reality, to be overall healthy, numbers are just a side effect of overall healthier living, and in much more long term beneficial ways will only change slowly over time.  

The challenge for me in this and perhaps for you who may be starting running, is that my draw for my attention has to become about the enjoyment of change, of taking better care of myself, of resolving through the discomfort of activity into the euphoria of achievement and endorphins!

Here's my recommendation:  ditch the daily weigh - in.  Keep your pocket change.  Put on a pair of runners and run  on  a regular basis, eat good portions and love the investment of health in your life.  Check the numbers occasionally (monthly?) , talk to people who have long-term success in change of health and know your are getting somewhere at your body's own pace.  

Running And Prayer

For those daysI have specific concerns, needs, stress, worries or just need to unload some things in my heart, running becomes that intimate place that I can connect with God.  Im no spiritual wonder kin.  Im just a guy who lives God and who has committed his life to more than just the daily grind,,like  getting my piece of the pie.  Running itself lends itself to working things out physically.   However, it is my prayer life, my walk with God that enhances my running.  He has changed my life so  radically.  That relationship changes everything on my runs; my mind focuses, my heart reaches out and I find God there waiting for me to focus on Him.  

Prayer and running, especially my longer runs, become a rhythm to pace my heart to a different beat.

Yesterday the Father brought some people to mind who need prayer, and some who I need to forgive.  Today this impression was repeated in a sermon from my friend; forgiveness is key to growing, to being free personally and relationally.  I am glad I was able to hear it before today's worship service.

Prayer is not complicated.  We are made to pray, to reach out to our Creator.  We do it whether we mean to or not.  You may want to try it on your next run.  Just being thankful and saying thank you and then asking questions is a great start.  These were some of my first prayers.  Are you out there?  Could you show me?  Thanks for my family, my life! 

The endorphins alone are a great reason to run, but my prayer life just naturally seeps into my meditative exercise regime.

Blood Alcohol Content and the Transforming Runner

For Happy New Year, for those who are finding the festivities, you may be wondering how alcohol works for your transforming body.  What do I mean?  Many who have been running, and their bodies getting fit, their amounts of enjoying the holiday cheer might need a little revisit.

When thinking about how much drink get you drunk, there is no other way to figure it out than these charts.

As you may notice, for those who are losing body weight, it takes less alcohol to get the same BAC as before!
What it means is for my 155 lb frame, is that whereas before it would take 4 servings of alcohol to get me over .08 , now it only takes me 3!  Although some would regret this, for those optimists, it means it just takes less to get there!

Starting A Running Program

Turkey Digested?Good, lets run! I am getting re-inspired for my runs.  For those who might be looking at a change for their lives, who have to start something or face consequences of poor choices in activity levels or nutrition, a way to begin would be to talk to someone who has made those choices and succeeded before.  There are so many fads and regimes that come and go.  Running is a simple way and really, the most tried and true way for many people historically, so if you are contemplating starting something, go for it!

Some Tips For Beginning a New Running Pattern In Your Life:

1. Start slowly.  I am one who needs to still tell himself over and over that lasting change happens gradually.  This is true for running.  This is also true for achieving a healthier body.  It took you this long to get where you are now, so giving yourself space and time to immerse in change is also necessary.  Overnight miracle cures to obesity can be dangerous and short-sighted!  I have burned myself out too many times going whole hog.  Here is a site that will help you achieve realistically.            Here is a snap shot of the ten weeks they outline for beginners:
2. 10-WEEK TRAINING SCHEDULE
   
   Week 1
   Run 2 minutes,
   walk 4 minutes.
   Repeat 5 times.
   
   Week 2
   Run 3 minutes,
   walk 3 minutes.
   Repeat five times.
   
   Week 3
   Run 5 minutes,
   walk 2.5 minutes.
   Repeat four times.
   
   Week 4
   Run 7 minutes,
   walk 3 minutes.
   Repeat three times.
   
   Week 5
   Run 8 minutes,
   walk 2 minutes.
   Repeat three times.
   
   Week 6
   Run 9 minutes,
   walk 2 minutes.
   Repeat twice, then
   run 8 minutes.
   
   Week 7
   Run 9 minutes,
   walk 1 minute.
   Repeat three times
   
   Week 8
   Run 13 minutes,
   walk 2 minutes.
   Repeat twice.
   
   Week 9
   Run 14 minutes,
   walk 1 minute.
   Repeat twice.
   
   Week 10
   Run 30 minutes.
   
   Note: After completing week 9, if you feel tired, repeat this week of training before moving on to week 10.
3. Eating to Fuel.  This is a challenge for me even now after years of good choices and poor ones.  Resetting the internal gauge can take perseverance and insight.   I recommend trying to drive out most simple sugars if you are a snacker for a time.  Starting a running routine means your body will need appropriate fueling,  Thinking of your body as a machine, we need to put the right gas in it.  Crash diets do not help overall the patterns that have taken years to establish.  I am currently looking at what has crept back in to my regime and if it is necessary.
4. Do what is enjoyable!  If running is not going to be appealing  over time, try a  few things to find out what works for you.  If repetition annoys you, shake it up, but with a plan in mind all the time of constant activity in the week.  Cross training is great for that.  Hitting the weights alongside running helps build muscle tone and increases you expenditure of energy, Thus improving BMI results more efficiently.
5. Speaking of Body Mass Index (BMI), get calculated and know what your goal for you is.  This link will calculate your BMI for you.
6. Last thing to say about the process to change is this:  It is not about the numbers.  It is about being healthy!  Enjoying yourself is therefore paramount.  It took me 6 months to lose a total of 16 pounds when i started running.  It was a slow start, but it was the activity itself that I had to focus on finding joy in, making as a part of the regime.  I still do this today, reevaluating my enjoyment of the sport, finding inspiration and new goals to reach.  It is always changing, just like me!  It took over a year to find that my BMI was in a state of maintenance rather than recovery.  This could be longer or shorter for you.

Post Marathon Pounds and Ho Ho Ho Lotta Work Ahead!

I don't really weighmyself very much,  we dont even own a scale!  When I was trying to get fit 4 years ago, I used the Wii Fit to calculate my numbers progress probably once a week or two.  Well, yesterday I was challenged to weigh myself at my mother's house.  I knew I had gained some weight as I have been slipping into eating more lately with second helpings and stress related eating with my new job. Also, to keep awake in the car for m y long commute, I snack!  That coupled with struggling to get my mileage in , blah blah blah I knew I would have gone up in weight.  YUP.  There was the number.  It is just a number , but is also a good reminder that my 37 year old body cannot keep scarfing down everything my eyes see!

Holidays begin now for me, but in actuality they began a month ago with baking available, work goodies sitting out waiting and parties to attend.  Did I mention I am a stress eater?  Well I am.

So I have about 10 pounds to work on over the winter/spring which is not too difficult, it has more to do with reasonable changes and enjoying myself.  That weight is the most healthy I feel, but its just a number and my health is more important as is enjoying myself when time calls for it.  Like tomorrow, turkey stuffing and ambrosia, you have met your match.  But only one serving. 

What are some of your vices you need to keep a lid on?  Lets rally and commiserate. 

My top ten favorite foods I need to keep tabs on:

1. Turtles
2. Turkey/ fixins
3. gingerbread cookies
4. ambrosia
5. stuffing
6. perogies ( I ate about 10 the other day!)
7. caramel chocolate from the Pot O Golds
8. eggnog
9. eggnog lattes
10. wine