Balance

"Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life — learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some."
– Robert Fulghum

My life is very compartmentalized.  I really need for it to be that way because I am someone who wears many hats.  I thrive on having a routine; a schedule; consistency.  In order for me to participate in the things I love, I have to have a plan and I need to schedule my life so that I MAKE time for the things that are important to me.  People are forever asking me how I'm able or why I even want to be involved in so many different things.  The answer is pretty simple:  balance. 

I feel good when my life is filled with a variety of activities.  We are all complex people with many different interests, who says we have to limit ourselves to eat, sleep, work, rinse, repeat?  I have strived to fill my day with meaningful things; my family, my friends, my work, hobbies, volunteering, etc.  Of course, my health is absolutely necessary for me to give any energy to anything else, so I've learned to make exercise part of my routine (just like showering, brushing teeth and eating!  It's a must!)

I found the quote by Robert Fulghum and it really rang true to me.  I thought about my day today.  I chatted with my husband while I ate my breakfast, then headed out the door to meet my friend, Heather, for an 8 mile run.  After our run, we had "coffee talk" for about an hour.  I came home, and spent several hours with my family; we had lunch, went to an Earth Day festival, then rode bikes in the park.  Once we were home, my husband and I had time to ourselves to chat and plan our week (the normal husband/wife chatter; afterschool schedules, t-ball practice plans, dinner menu, etc) but we also nourished our friendship and focus our efforts on keeping open communication and enjoying each other's company.  That may sound silly, but how many people do you know carve out time out of every day (even just 15 minutes!) to talk...really TALK...to their spouse?  I then had quiet time to myself.  I took a short nap, made myself a snack, and checked email and Facebook.  :)  My day was busy, but I found time to do thing things I love and spend time with the people that are most important to me.  I made time for myself, my needs. 

My work week isn't much different.  I know when it's time to shut out the world and focus on my work, and I'm able to turn work off and focus on my family.  As a business owner, that has been a hard lesson that I've really had to practice a lot.  It would be very easy for me to check email at all hours of the day and night; through dinner and piano lessons.  However, then I'd miss out on my family and I'd miss out my young children's precious moments.  There's a reason why I'm that "crazy lady" that goes to the gym at 4:30 am.  That's MY time.  In having that time to myself, I'm charged and ready to go when my family and work need me. 

There's time for everything that is truly important to you in your life.  Time isn't found, it's made.  Carve your schedule, make your routine, pick up your briefcase, put down your cell phone, turn off the computer and pick up a book, laugh and dance and play and then close the door to the world and feed your soul. 

Health is all about finding balance.  Every day is a new opportunity for me to find that balance, some days are better than others, and some days are a complete cluster of chaos, but I'm learning.  Do a little bit of everything in a day so that you don't get several days down the road and realize that you forgot to nurture something and you missed out on something great!

Caught In Action

This afternoon I had to meet my son's t-ball coach at the ball field to pick up his uniform for their first game this week.  As I was leaving the park, I spotted a member of my Biggest Losers challenge.  There amongst kids and parents, she stood out right away!  What was it that made me notice her? 

I looked around the park and noticed that while all the children were playing, all the parents were seated on the benches or along the fence.  But not my team member!  She was up and moving; playing WITH her kids.  She was pushing children on the swings, moving about and just being ACTIVE. 

I cannot tell you how refreshing it was to see a parent so involved with their children's play!  The other parents looked distant, bored, tired.  My team member looked HAPPY.  She looked like she was enjoying her children, enjoying the beautiful evening and comfortable with herself!

I immediately texted her, "I see you!"  I'm sure that shocked her!  She texted me back, "Ok, you creepy stalker!  Where are you?!  LOL!"  I was right, it did shock her!  I explained to her that I was at the park and that I saw her being active with the kids.  I gave her two thumbs up and told her that I was proud; but even more than that, I was thrilled! 

Exercise isn't all about getting fit and having some bikini body.  It's about being active and enjoying every moment of your life!  This specific team member, I've really seen a change in her over the last few months.  She was in my last challenge and I remember at the beginning of the challenge she was always so tired and even made a point to say that she wished she could be more active with her kids.  Well, I think today I saw the biggest change!  I'm so glad I was able to witness that!

Crazy

If I had a nickel for every time someone told me I was crazy for getting up at 4am to workout...well you know the quote. I suppose if you're not a morning person that does seem crazy, just like I don't know how people go to the gym at 10pm.

So why do I get up at that hour to workout? To be perfectly honest, it wasn't my first choice, but I had a hard time scheduling an hour or two for to hit the gym to get a good workout in that didn't interfere with my family or work schedule.

The issue for me is that I don't like to feel rushed or cramped for time while working out. Why should I be worried about anything else when that's my time to focus on me? Aren't I always scurrying to make it somewhere for someone for something? I can tell you this, there is no one to think about at 4am. There are no phone calls, emails, dinner on the stove, picking up kids, meetings, playdates or hubby running late. It's just quiet. It is just me (and my new workout buddies) and my time.

I pack my gym gear the night before, allow time to take dog out and eat breakfast, then I give myself plenty of time to get a hard workout, with sufficient breaks for rest. I'm home before the family even gets out of bed. By the time our day opens to full family chaos, my workout is complete. I start my "mom-day" as a refreshed, strong and energized woman. My workout is complete and my batteries are charged and I didn't compromise a moment of my family time.

What about sleep? Did I miss out on that? Of course not! At first, I had to force myself to get to bed early, but after almost 9 months of this consistent routine, I have no trouble making my way to bed early. Again, my kids are asleep and my hubby watches tv or reads while I slip into dreamland, so I'm not zonking out during family time. No guilt!

On the weekends, Marty takes kids to gym and to breakfast while I get my long runs in. I don't feel guilty about that time away either...the three of them are getting quality time and I'm home mid morning ready to spend the day with them.

So am I crazy? Probably. But not because I workout early. I consider myself organized, disciplined and with a strong ability to prioritize my schedule and time so that I have time for MY needs which then allows me to give my best to those who need me.

Week 3 Biggest Losers

We are now in Week 3 of the weight loss, Biggest Losers, challenge.  This week's challenge, they chose partners and then I had them compete AGAINST each other for the most minutes spent exercising.  I think this is a pretty good challenge.  It takes our very large group of competitors and narrows it down to just two people competing against one another.  At the end of the week, they will let me know who got the most minutes and then all the winners will be entered into a drawing.  I will then choose five people from the drawing for a prize.  So, it is a long shot to win anything, but my hope is that they will give it all they've got to be in the winning pot for the drawing and then lucky enough to be a winner drawn from that pool. 

I'm really really hoping that this is the week where it all clicks in.  At week 4, I know that a lot of people will realize we're a third of the way through and they haven't given it their full effort.  Then they'll either most likely drop out, or step it up; however, even if they step it up, they'll wish that they had gotten their head in the game earlier so that they would see better results.  I tell them this every single time, but you can only encourage, not motivate; the motivation they need to find in themselves. 

I can totally appreciate losing motivation or feeling stuck in a rut.  I think we've all been there, but the only person that can snap you out of that is yourself.  Lately, when I feel down, I do my best to think about what I do have going for me (which is actually quite a lot) and when I think about it in those terms I'm able to appreciate myself.  When you APPRECIATE yourself, you take better care of yourself!  True?  Of course it is!  I'm constantly telling people, "don't sell yourself short" or "you deserve this!" People short change themselves; they pick themselves apart and negate all their own value.  I'm guilty of this as well.  The key to happiness is to be happy with WHO and WHAT you are and take each day as an opportunity to nurture, grow and shine.  I truly believe that. 

I know my strengths, I know my passion and my drive.  I surround myself with people that help me grow and improve, because by being around those people I learn to appreciate qualities that I have not yet developed and I push myself to succeed.  When I'm in a rut, I ask myself, "what do i need to do to improve this situation?"  Sometimes, it's nothing.  Sometimes, you just need to wait it out and change the ATTITUDE.  Right?  Other times, you've got to roll up your sleeves and get to work.  You need to reevaluate your plan and asssess what's working and what's not.  That's a hard one, because change is easy to see, but hard to implement!

So my goal for this week is to challenge people.  I want them to compete against someone they care about and in a one-to-one combat face the strengths of their partner, and the weakness of themselves.  I want them to step up, realize that yes, we're ALL in a challenge, but not against 74 other people or even just 1 other partner, the challenge is removing our own limitations, climbing out of our own rut, and discovering what we are truly capable of doing. 

I just KNOW week 3 is going to be an eye opener!

10 Miles Strong

I had been mentally preparing myself for my 10 mile run.  I felt ready, in fact, I KNEW I was ready.  After the previous week's 8 miles, I felt confident that I could do it.  Friday night, I stayed out late (at a Masquerade Ball!) didn't eat well and even had a little wine.  I know what you're thinking...it was the PERFECT set up for a Saturday morning 10 mile run!  So on just a few hours sleep, a little bit of a sour belly and a hearty breakfast, I met my friend Heather at 8:45am in Annapolis and off we went!

We started at her home and decided to run towards our normal route and then turn around at the 5 mile mark (which ended up being at exactly the middle point of the Navy bridge; oh how I loathe that bridge!)  I felt pretty strong throughout the run; even when my legs started to feel tired around mile 7, I told myself that my mind will give up before my body does and I just need to push.  The weather is warming up here and I was thankful that I had thought to bring a bottle of water.  Running while holding a water bottle is not ideal, but I haven't found the right belt yet.  I'll keep looking and definitely blog about whatever product I find works best. 

Mile 9 was the longest mile ever.  We ran uphill on Main St. through Annapolis.  Lovely.  Then ran down West Street; I'll admit that it is not my favorite thing to dodge pedestrians, shop keepers, dogs, vendors and the like.  Not to mention that downtown Annapolis the streets and sidewalks are made of brick and the sidewalks aren't even in width nor are they very level.  At about 9.8 miles, Heather takes off into a sprint.  I'm not sure if she did it subconsciously because she saw the end, or if she was trying to push me just a little bit, but I pushed and I did my best to keep up and when we were finally able to click the "end" button on the garmin...well, I felt sick!  I felt sick, and thrilled, excited, elated, cold, faint, happy and sick.  LOL!  I stood in Heather's kitchen, leaving a puddle of sweat on her floor as I gulped down about 40oz of cold water.  As my body temperature came back down, the realization that I had just finished 10 miles in 105 minutes hit me and I was just PROUD. 

Ten miles has been a huge milestone for me.  I knew that once I hit ten, that I was going to be a serious runner.  I knew that I could push myself.  I knew that "my impossible" was possible.  I know that sounds silly, lots of people run, but just thinking of myself as a runner is still so foreign to me. 

I drove home to my family bursting with pride and happiness.  I felt so strong.  I felt so relieved and so confident in myself; knowing that there is nothing I cannot do if I put my mind to it!

So now, here I am on Sunday...Ibuprofen is my (and my knees') best friend and I've spent most of the day resting (recovering) and I'm still smiling ear to ear.  I'm excited for this week, I'm ready to tackle my challenges and I'm ready to push my limits.  I'm ten miles strong and getting stronger every day!

Going Public

I never thought this day would come.  I suppose I've been holding out on typing this because I knew that once I put it on the blog I would have no choice but to follow through.  I have never thought of running as truly an "enjoyable" form of exercise.  I remember having to run in P.E. class (oh that dreaded class) or racing other children on the playground, or even later in life I would cringe at the thought of any more than 10 minutes on that wretched treadmill.  Running was not my idea of fun, or relaxing, or good in any other way. 

So what's my big news?  Well, from previous posts, I guess you have learned that I have recently taken up running.  I don't know how or why it started.  My friend Heather suggested that I come out with her, and I suppose I was looking for some quality time with a friend.  Here we are several months later, and I still meet with her and another friend, Kathy, twice a week.  Wednesdays are our "short runs", we try to do about 4 miles while mine and Kathy's daughters are in chorus rehearsal. We only have a little under an hour, but we make the best of our time.  Our longer runs are on the weekends, depending on what day we can meet, Kathy will join us (she's a good catholic and doesn't miss church).  Last week we did 8 miles on Sunday and at the end of the run I thought to myself, "I could have easily kept going!".  That is a HUGE improvement! 

Back to my big news... So you may have observed that I really do enjoy a challenge.  Running against my husband in our little running challenges has really gotten me to push myself out of my comfort zone and get out there and run even when I wasn't really "in the mood".  I knew that someone else was going against me and I had to get my miles in.  I know without a doubt that because I was running so much, it made my runs with Kathy and Heather so much easier and with their support and company, I was getting better and better!

Ok, I'm getting to my point!  So Kathy and Heather have convinced me that I'm ready for a half marathon!  Yes, I'm going to do it!  I can't believe it...who would have ever thought that I, Alice Anne, would ever ever be interested in running 13.1 miles FOR FUN!?!?! 

The date is set for June 2nd at 7am.  I'm training hard, doing about 20-25 miles per week.  My knees have seen better days, but I stretch well, focus on good strenth training exercises to build the muscles that support the joints, and maintain a healthy diet to give me the energy I need to sustain. 

I find myself missing my runs if I go a day without it.  I feel so alive and strong after a good run.  When I'm alone, I think about my life and my goals and come up with some pretty great ideas (either challenges for my Biggest Losers group, new recipes I want to try out, organizing strategies for my home...the list goes on!).  When I'm with my friends, its social time.  I love hearing about their lives, what's going on with Kathy's kids, or Heather's students and all the amazingly normal but wonderful things that friends share with one another.  I appreciate the time we have together, even if we're sweating our little butts off!

So there you have it.  I'm a runner and really happy I am!  Never ever thought that day would come.

Be Healthy

I was messaging back and forth today with a friend and she admitted that she's feeling a little defeated about her weight and believes that she may be "coming to accept" her size.  I had to think long and hard about what she said.  Knowing her, that didn't sound like the spunky, upbeat, bubbly personality I know, but I also realize that our personalities do not always reflect our self-image. 

I thought about how she's feeling and reflected on my own personal experiences and my own body image.  I realized, that even though it wasn't until after I had my children did I struggle with weight, I was never truly happy with my body until more recently (and I think we can all be honest and admit that we are our own worst critics and can always find some body part or feature that we believe could use some improvement); I cannot think of a time in my life when I was proud of my body.  How sad is that? 

So I had always been thin.  I never had to think about what I ate or if I exercised.  I should have been happy right?  Well, I wasn't.  I wasn't coordinated, I wasn't athletic, I couldn't play group sports, I dreaded recess, P.E. Class, outdoor play, etc.  I was awkward.  I was ashamed and I was miserable in my body.  What was missing? 

After I had my children and struggled to lose that second baby weight; you know what I'm talking about...That thickness around the middle that just never ever goes away; the fullness in your rear, the squishy arms that give such a wonderful resting place for a sleeping toddler; yeah, I had the MOM BOD.  I was tired.  I ached.  I lacked energy.  I needed a jolt.  I needed SOMETHING to get me out of my rut.  What did I need? 

I think about my friend.  She's lost in her goals.  She lacks motivation.  She's frustrated and sad.  She is focusing on a goal weight (that according to her she's never seen).  She is giving up on the dream that she too could be comfortable in her own body.  What does she want to achieve? 

The answers could be a) a stronger body b) rest and rejuvination c) positive self-image OR

the answer is GOOD HEALTH

If you really think about it, if I had focused on eating well, getting my exercise and strengthening my body by being healthy, I would have felt more confident in my body's abilities as a child/adolescent.  I think about my non-athletic, girlie girl daughter and want so badly for her not to feel the way I felt growing up.  She's tiny, she eats like she has a hollow leg.  I hope she never ever struggles with her body image.  However, I hope she knows HOW to take care and maintain her health and body. 

As a mother, taking the time to exercise, eat well, rest and rejuvinate, I would have had the energy, strength and stamina to keep us with everyone else's needs (if you can't take care of yourself, you can't take care of anyone!)  Not to mention, the mother is such an influential force for her family/children to lead a healthy lifestyle! 

For my friend, she needs to set realistic expectations and rather than focus on the scale, focus on her health; strengthen and fuel herself to sustain the life she loves and enjoys!

The media focuses so much on being SKINNY, fad diets, quick fixes, gimmics and indirectly creates a disproportionate view of what it means to be healhty. 

Even with my Biggest Losers contest, I try and advocate healthy choices and lifestyle changes and my ultimate goal is that whoever participates GAINS greater health awareness and feels empowered by their choices and their body!

I am guilty of owning a scale.  I'm guilty of longingly looking at clothes in my closet wishing that they fit the way they did pre-children; I'm guilty of complaining about my ever-expanding deriere.  Yes, I'm human, but I also appreciate that my body is stronger than it has ever been, I am not limited because my health is compromised. 

Focus on being healthy and the rest will fall into place :)