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Day 81: Stepping Outside the Box

by Jess on April 23rd, 2010 in Exercising, Favorite Posts, Revelations

We are all confined by a box. Some of our boxes are bigger and wider, some of ours are smaller and narrower. Either way, we all stay in some kind of defined boundary, a comfort zone, a safety net. We like being secure, we like knowing what to expect, we like familiarity.

But for most of us, trying to lose weight and live healthier requires us to break out of our comfort zone, to step outside of our box and try something new. We transform from sedentary to active, we try new vegetables and fruits, we discover new ways of cooking, we fall in love with new exercises, and we find new ways to make life more interesting and entertaining.

It’s been less than three months since I re-started my healthy journey, and I’ve already branched out farther than I ever have before. By finding new passions and interests, I’ve expanded my box and broadened my horizon.

MY NEW FOOD DISCOVERIES

I have never been a picky eater. If you put something in front of me, I’ll eat it. It doesn’t matter what part of the animal it comes from, it doesn’t matter what kind of vegetable it is, even if it’s something with a weird texture, I’ll at least try it. Most of the time, it’s never as bad as I imagine it to be.

Curious as to what I’ve eaten? Ask away!

I’ve recently read many blogs that RAVE about pumpkin and almond butter, so much to the point that I HAD to have and try it.

What IS this craze? I had to test the waters myself.

Pumpkin butter was a definite win. I bought some from Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago, and it is delicious! Yesterday, I picked up some almond butter from Costco. I took a risk and bought a MASSIVE jar of something I had never tried before. Curiosity did not kill the cat. Almond butter has an interesting taste. Definitely an almond taste, but with the texture of Better ‘n Peanut Butter (which I love). I don’t know if I like it much on its own because it tastes kind of oily and bland, but with jam, it’s pretty yummy. How do you eat almond butter?

I also finally made some oatmeal today. No, I don’t live in a hole. I’ve had oatmeal before but I’ve never made it myself. I added some milk to my oats, nuked it for a minute, and then added some apricot jam, protein powder, and peanut butter. It tasted alright, like a mushier version of a protein bar. I don’t know if I’d eat this EVERY morning but once in awhile, it’s a nice change. I can see why people eat oatmeal. Oats fill you up like no other. I wasn’t hungry for a LONG time. I had to force myself to eat a late lunch so that I could hit the gym. How do you eat your oats/oatmeal?

What are some new foods you’ve tried? What are some that you want to try?

MY KITCHEN ADVENTURES

I have discovered my LOVE for cooking. I’ve grown up in a cooking household, but never before in my life have I cooked so much for myself and with such a large variety. I think it’s a great skill to have. I’ve discovered that you can pretty much bake everything instead of frying it. I also found that onions and garlic taste much better when NOT sauteed in oil. They maintain a more distinct, natural taste. I found lavash at Trader Joe’s and it is now my go-to pizza crust. Store-bought salsa? Please. I’ll make it. Marinara and alfredo sauce? I’ll make that too. I’ve learned that there is nothing that I can’t make. It is actually WAY cheaper and healthier to eat at home than to eat out.

Grocery shopping is exciting for me. Some people go down their usual aisles. Not me. I go and inspect a bunch of things, especially canned stuff. I never buy them, but they’re great for ideas. I now have daily dilemmas over what to make for dinner, not because I’m out of ideas, but because I have too many. It’s amazing. For me, food is now fun, exciting AND delicious. Healthy eating is no longer boring and repetitive. It’s a journey in and of itself.

MY LOVE FOR RUNNING

If you had told me back in February that I’d run a 5K before July, I would’ve laughed in your face. Yeah…RIGHT. I could barely run a mile, much less three. What I did want, in February, was to break out of my comfort zone. I wanted to break out of my box. My box only provided me with fear. I feared running. I was too fat. Too out of shape. Too heavy. Too slow.

But it’s not true. My box constrained and limited me, but instead of being comfortable and settling, I wanted to expand those limits and achieve new heights.

And so I ran.

It started out with a few minutes. Then a few more. Slowly but surely, I made my way through a whole mile. When I finished that mile, I felt great. I pushed myself and proved that I could do it, that if I set my mind to it, I could accomplish anything. All of a sudden, I was running two miles. Then three. Then seven. I ran my first 5K race a little over a week ago. Now, I’m registered for a 10K on May 22 and a Half Marathon on June 6.

I recently started minimalist running. I’ve been running in my Vibram KSOs for a week. In just one week, I have already bested my official 5K PR of 33:21 by almost a minute. It’s pretty incredible. Although my feet hurt every night, they’re usually recovered by the morning, and I’m good to go again.

My passion for running stems from my belief that we are all meant to be runners. Seriously. How else were cavemen supposed to catch dinner? That buffalo sure as hell wasn’t going to just show up at your front door.

I also love running because it brews discipline. I honestly believe that discipline strongly influences long-term success in all aspects of life, whether it be weight loss, healthy living, careers, education, relationships. You name it.

Elite athletes are disciplined when it comes to training for their sport. I bet Kobe Bryant has shot at least 10,000 free throws. I bet Sidney Crosby has shot at least 10,000 pucks. I bet Michael Phelps has swam at least 10,000 laps. And I bet Serena Williams has hit at least 10,000 tennis balls. Fortune 500 CEOs are disciplined when it comes to their work. Top chefs are disciplined when it comes to practicing and improving their cooking skills. I see successful people, and all I think of is how disciplined and dedicated they are to accomplishing their goals. It takes a lot of work and discipline to become successful.

Running helps me to become disciplined. I might not be the fastest or the best runner, but I continue to practice and train. Through running, I have learned to let my mind control my body instead of the other way around. Through running, I’ve learned to push through pain and discomfort in order to reap the rewards and benefits. There are no words to describe the satisfaction, pride, and joy that comes from accomplishing a new running goal.

I’m stronger, faster, and fitter because of running. Most importantly, running empowers my mind. It is like therapy. I clear my thoughts when I run. I focus on one goal, and I get there. Running has taught me how to put my mind back in control of my body and not let my body dictate what I do or don’t do.

So step outside your box today. Find something new to try. Break out of your shell and discover a new passion. Expand your boundaries and set new limits. Be brave. Be bold. Be daring.

STEPPING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Steve from Nerd Fitness is trying to send 40 kids with cancer to summer camp. But that’s not all. He’s also becoming a Warrior. Help him pick out his costume!

Steve from 265 and Falling is running his first Half Marathon on May 23! Help him raise money for cancer research.

Chad from Reconstructing Thirty is running his first 5K on Saturday. Give him some encouragement!

The list doesn’t stop there. I could go on, and on, and on! Every single day, somebody out there is pushing their limits, going from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY. Follow in their footsteps. Break out of your box.

THE DAILY BITE

Sorry, too much writing, not enough pictures! I’ve left you hungry readers unsatisfied the last two days. Don’t worry. Drool-worthy yumminess to resume tomorrow!

Consumption:1875 calories, 33.3g of fat. Total steps: 17,803

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Workout: Upper back. Lats. Assisted Pull-ups. Biceps. Chest. Leg raises.

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Jess25K: Remember my modified C25K? So I finally started it. I got sidetracked this week. I did 10 minutes of 60-seconds sprints at 8.0 followed by 75 seconds of recovery at 3.7, then ran for 5 minutes at 6.0 and called it a day. Need to stick with the plan more.

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Day 79: 99 Minutes of Solidarity

by Jess on April 21st, 2010 in Exercising

I could have been in Indiana right now partying with my best friend. But I’m not. I could have blamed my parents for dumping this on me. I could have been upset. I could have been frustrated with this unnecessary burden. I could have been angry, annoyed, aggravated. There’s an endless amount of “I could haves.”

But nothing changes the fact that I didn’t get on that plane. Nothing changes the fact that I chose my family over my friends. So that’s that. I could be mopey, I could be sad, OR I could deal with it and turn an unfortunate situation into a better one.

Jen over at Prior Fat Girl was challenged to do 99 minutes on the Stairmaster, a challenge that 220 other people joined in on. I didn’t commit myself to the challenge earlier because I was supposed to be on a flight. But since my only excuse not to participate was gone, I decided to go all out and tackle this challenge head on. I mean, if I can’t change my situation, I might as well make the best of it, right?

And so I did. On April 20, 2010, I completed 99 minutes on the Stairmaster. Before, the longest I’ve ever gone on the dreaded machine was 30 minutes, and even then, I thought I was going to die. Jello legs, sweaty arms, burning lungs, you name it. The Stairmaster was equivalent to death in my book. And now I was going to do 99 minutes?! I am definitely crazy.

I didn’t even walk into the gym intending to do 99 minutes. I thought I’d start off with 40 minutes. About halfway through, I decided I was going to give the full 99 a shot. Go big, or go home. If all of those 220 people could do it, so could I. If Jen could do it, so could I. The least I could do was try. So when my 40 minutes were up, I re-started the program for 60 minutes. I like nice, round numbers. 100 just looks better than 99.

When I finished, I was a huge ball of nasty sweat. I don’t think I’ve ever sweat this much. Seriously. Sweat dripping everywhere. I was like a leaky faucet. Despite looking disgusting, I was determined to finish.

And finish I did. All 100 minutes of it. In Vibrams too. If you ever need an effective way to break into your Vibram FiveFingers, do 100 minutes on the Stairmaster and they’ll fit perfectly, no joke.

I didn’t pay attention to the stats for the first 40 minutes, but for the 60 minutes, I had climbed enough floors to walk all the way to the top of the Taipei 101, all the way back down, and MORE.

I accomplished something I had never done before. I conquered the one machine that was my worst enemy, my tripping stone. No more fear. Stairmaster, I’ve got you now.

So even though things didn’t go as I had planned, I made the most of it. Life changes, shit happens, things go wrong. But it is how you deal with the crap launched your way that makes or breaks you. I decided to NOT let life break me. Being upset doesn’t change the fact that unplanned things happen. It doesn’t change the fact that life sometimes throws you a curve ball. It doesn’t change the fact that I didn’t get on a plane to Indiana. The best thing I could do was to cope with the situation by taking positive actions to make it better.

The day started off crappy but ended with a win. I turned things that were beyond my control into something that I could control, and for that, I am proud. I turned a potential emotional binge fest into an awesome session at the gym, rocking it out on the Stairmaster. And it felt great.

No regrets.

How can you make a bad situation better for yourself? What are things that you CAN control?

THE DAILY BITE

Tuna Pasta Salad – Dinner: chilled macaroni, albacore, green peas, red bell peppers, onions, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice tossed together.