White Orchid Melody Blog

Well, it has been awhile. I don’t think I’ve had a running journal entry since the marathon. I was running though, pretty consistently up until about a month ago. Then I sort of fell off the bandwagon. My running buddy moved back to the states. It got hot. Alex started sleeping late and didn’t want to go to school. So, it became very difficult to get out the door. I went for a couple of runs while the grandparents were here to watch Alex, but nothing consistent. I’ve been back on track the past two days though, going out in the early evening when Brian gets home from work. It is still insanely hot then, but most of my regular running loop has intermittent shade. So, it isn’t unbearable. And I’m not pushing the 40lb+ toddler/stroller combo. That helps! Alex doesn’t enjoy going on runs with me anymore anyway. I took him with me one morning a few weeks ago, and he was antsy to get out of the stroller the whole time.

Heat is just something you have to get used to. I remember last fall, when the temperature dropped, my lungs hurt because I wasn’t used to the cold air! I’d gotten acclimated to running in the sauna that is southern Italy in the summer. And now I have to do that again. I’ve got my Under Armour Heat Gear capris and tanks, my camelbak full of gatorade/water mix, my iPod shuffle, my red hat, and I’m ready to go. Yesterday an older Italian man on a scooter yelled “FA CALDO!!!” at me. As in, it’s freakin’ hot lady, why are you out running? Good question sir. Is “because I love pasta, but don’t want to look like I love pasta” a good answer? But really, as good as running is for my body, it is even better for my mind. I’m much happier and balanced feeling when I run everyday. It makes me a better mom, a better partner, a better artist. It keeps me sane!

It is slightly less disgustingly hot today. Only 70% humidity. That’s practically liquid air. I’m generally not one to sweat, but even my knees were sweating when I got home from my run today. I did manage to get up earlier. I went down and made coffee, which was loud enough to get Alex up, so we were out the door by 7:30. That got us back home by 8:15. Much better getting back at that time than just leaving!

Yesterday I didn’t even go. I woke up about 6:30 and it was already gross out. No wind at all. That’s the killer. The humidity isn’t as bad when it is tempered by a sea breeze. That is what is making today a bit better. After Wednesday’s run I thought I was going to be sick I was so hot. That was from not leaving the house until 8:40. Plus I don’t think I’m quite 100% recovered from being sick over the weekend.

It is so easy to make excuses not to exercise. It’s hot, I’m tired, etc, etc…. I think people really get into an excuse trap that way. Being healthy and fit does not come naturally in our society. It requires effort and work. People lie to themselves by saying other things are more important. They know they are lying. If you had a generic survey that ranked aspects of ones life by importance, you can be sure most people would put health at the top of that list. But when it comes time to take responsibility for that health, they fall through. Why? Because it’s work. And everyone already thinks they have too much work to do.

And that, my friends, brings us right back to the simple living thing. Most people have entirely too much going on in their lives. And everything is “important.” So how do you choose? As a wife and mother, self usually comes last. I find myself feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and it is nobody’s fault but mine. It happens when I don’t take time for myself, or when I don’t ask for the help I need. But doing that doesn’t serve me or anyone else. How can you run a household and take care of loved ones when you are stressed out and miserable.

I have this experience and I lead a very simple life. I cannot imagine what it would be like if I hadn’t simplified and prioritized. You have to make choices that align with your values. If you value your health, then you have to choose healthy options whenever possible. Sometimes there are easy ways to do this. But maybe, depending on your situation, a major life change is in order.

I can honestly say that I am, at this moment, healthier than I have ever been in my life (despite my illness over the weekend!). I am more fit, generally more relaxed, and just feel better. My lifestyle here has played a very large role in that. Being able to walk to shop for food or to go out to dinner or to the beach, etc, means there is hardly a reason to ever be in the car. I absolutely hate the thought of getting in the car to go anywhere now! It is easy to want to spend time outside here. Even when it is miserably hot! It is so pretty I simply have to go outside for a little while each day. I think this greatly contributes to my health and sanity.

We are also eating much healthier. There are no junk food options really. I mean, if I was really determined to eat like crap, I could spend hours in my car driving out to the base to buy crap. But the lazy default here is to eat healthy. I usually get fresh produce every couple of days. That combined with pasta, rice, beans, legumes, and limited amounts of cheese makes up our diet. I haven’t cooked any meat at all here. Meat is expensive in Europe (as it should be, growing meat is an expensive process and the prices here aren’t falsely deflated). Most people treat it as a luxury, as a condiment more than a main course. Even in restaurants what you generally see is just small amounts of meat in the pasta sauce for first course. Second course is a small serving of meat, 2-3 ounces, I’d estimate. I have never seen giant American-size portions of anything here. So, anyway, I’m back to eating vegetarian more strictly again. There for awhile I’d gotten kind of lax. I’ll blame it on the garlic butter chicken at Saleem’s. I just feel so much healthier and lighter when I refrain from eating meat.

I’m not saying everyone has to live the way I do (though I do think everyone should try meat free dishes occasionally!), but I’m saying everyone does need to take responsibility for their own health and well being. Make choices that align with your values. You only have this life, why spend it miserable?

I totally rocked my run this morning! I felt so strong! I’ve been making it pretty far without walking, but today I was able to make it all the way around the loop and back up the (giant) hill! I’m so proud of myself. It never ceases to amaze me how adaptable the body is.

stays together? Better yet, stays fit together!

Yesterday we drove down to Grants Trail. Brian took the cyclocross bike and the burley trailer. He and Alex went for a bike ride while I jogged for about an hour. It was good. It is a nice trail, paved but surrounded by woods and wetlands. It was really nice to get out as a family, even though we have different exercise interests. Brian hates to jog, he’d never make it 5 miles with me. I don’t hate biking, but I get a bigger bang for my buck jogging (burns more calories per hour). Plus I can go at my own pace and don’t have to keep up with anyone.

Of course it had been several, several days since I had jogged. So, today I’m a little sore. It still amazes me that I can go out and jog 5 miles without dying, even when it has been a week.

I went to get a pedicure on Saturday. I was reading a Self magazine while I was there. It featured an interesting article about body types and fat loss. Apparently there was a study that had shown that apples and pears store and burn fat differently. Apple body types (that’s me) store fat around the abdomen. Pear types store fat in the hips, butt and thighs. But there was also a difference in the kind of fat. Triglycerides tend to migrate to the hips and thighs, so for pears diet was very important in losing weight. For apple types, exercise alone was often sufficient. Interesting, I thought.

It also said that 200 minutes a week of jogging would bring down the fat stores in the waist area. Over the course of the 8 month study, participants lost an average of 1.5″ in their waist. I’d heard before you need to jog at least 11 miles a week to lose belly fat. 200 minutes would be more like 20 miles. We don’t want to leave any room for error, so I’m going to shoot for 20 miles But that means I need to get off my arse and go outside at least 4 times a week.

I’m guessing that is not going to happen this coming week. We’ll be in Minnesota for 5 days. If I’m feeling really motivated I *might* jog on the treadmill. But I seriously hate jogging on a treadmill. I’m good for a mile, two at the most, and then I’m bored to tears. I like to run outside because then I can enjoy nature and the changing scenery. Indoors, it seems like all I can focus on is the fact that I’m jogging. And my brain keeps reminding me that I could be sitting around eating chocolate instead.

I’ve been using my tracking chart this week, despite the fact that my eating has been a disaster. At least I’m writing it down. When I get on the scale next week and it hasn’t gone in the right direction there will be no denying why that is.

I’m feeling sort of overwhelmed right now. We are leaving in less than 3 weeks. In between now and then, we have friends coming to visit and we are making a trip to Minnesota. Those are both good things. But it does make it hard to exercise and eat right. Maybe that is a lame excuse. But I have myself convinced anyway. It just seems an uphill battle to do the right thing when there is so much going on. For example, I haven’t been to the grocery store because we are leaving for MN in a few days, and we need to eat the food we have here. But we really need some fresh fruit. Therefore, I need to go to the store anyway. But I like to get my food at Trader Joe’s, and it’s sort of a pain to go out there for just a couple things. But I think my friend wants to go this weekend, so maybe we’ll get some fruit then. I do eat healthier when I have fruit to nibble on.

My point though, is that it is really easy to make excuses when you are busy. For example, yesterday I really should have gone for a jog. I was in a crappy mood, and it would have done me a world of good. But Brian was late getting home, and I told myself that I needed to do other things, like go to the post office and get Alex fed and ready for bed. That was true. But I should have made my health the priority in that scenario. If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of everyone else? I think most moms forget that.

So, anyway, the excuses totally build on each other. Like, I didn’t run yesterday, so why should I run today, because I won’t have time tomorrow, and then we’ll be in Minnesota, and I can’t jog there because it is cold (never mind the fact that they have a treadmill), so I should just wait until we move to start jogging again. Hello!!! That is ridiculous! But these are the thoughts that run through my head. I’m lazy. Obviously. I don’t know why my mind works against me like that. My body likes exercise. I really do enjoy jogging. It isn’t some painful thing that I dread. It feels good. So why won’t my brain jump on the bandwagon? It is bizarre. I don’t have to force myself to eat chocolate. And running makes me feel better than eating chocolate. Why the mental self-sabotage?

Maybe I like to be stressed and miserable. I guess that is the only logical explanation. Ridiculous, isn’t it?

We got a lot of snow this week! I’m glad. I really like snow! But it isn’t really conducive to jogging. But I started weightwatchers on Monday. And I also did the NYC Ballet Workout DVDtwice this week. So, that was good. Even better, I’m actually down 3lbs since Monday, and I can feel the difference already.

Now, as I mentioned before the weightwatchers thing was a free 7 day trial which automatically runs into a $65-3/month membership. I’m not really sure what to do. I am probably going to cancel on Sunday, as the timing isn’t that great for a membership. It would be good for the next 3 weeks, but then there will be a lapse with the move. I have no idea how long it will take us to get internet set up over there. I’ve heard it can take quite awhile. So, it is probably best to cancel it now and then sign up once we are settled. But part of me really wants to keep doing it because obviously it helps! I have no idea why I don’t have the discipline to do it on my own without the website and monthly fee! Kind of silly. The weather is supposed to improve this week though, so I should have no excuses for not jogging.

My first day on weightwatchers was enlightening.

I realized what my trouble has been. I’m not eating fatty or unhealthy foods. I’m just eating too much in general. I mean, I knew that already, but seeing it right in front of your face, rather than just having an idea about it, is entirely different.

I really had the munchies from about 2pm until dinner and then again a couple hours after dinner. Crazy. I drank 12 glasses of water and ate over 8 servings of fruits/veggies and STILL had the munchies! You get food points for exercise, so if I’d exercise I’d get to eat more. That was my health philosophy anyway–run a lot, eat a lot. But 20 degrees plus winter storm equals couch potato. So, I must eat less until I can go outside and jog again.

I got in another 5 miler Thursday….and then it got stupid cold again and I haven’t left the house. Can you tell I don’t like winter? It is supposed to warm up in a few days, after this storm system passes through. In lieu of exercise, I decided to focus on eating. I certainly can’t eat whatever I want if I’m never leaving the house to walk or jog. So, I’m trying out a free 7 day trial on weightwatchers.com. I have had success with their “core” program in the past. Now they’ve changed it all to be “momentum” which basically combines the core and points system into one, encouraging you to choose filling, whole foods, while tracking how much you actually eat.

Day one didn’t start out that great, seeing as how I had the last chocolate cupcake (from alex’s party) for breakfast. But I am making up for it by eating healthy the rest of the day. I did have fruit with my cupcake I had a hummus and veggie pita for a snack, then whole wheat pasta with soy-crumble “meat” sauce and more veggies for lunch, and more fruit. Dinner will be cajun beans and brown rice. I eat lots of fruit and veggies, and I drink lots of water–both good things. My problem is I get munchy in the afternoon. I start to want to graze. The calories can really add up that way.

We’ll see how this 7 day trial goes. I’ll most likely cancel it because we should be leaving soon. But if it helps, then I might sign up again after the move.

I took Tuesday off after my “long run” to give my poor knees a break. And then yesterday, I really, really, really did not want to go out for a run. But I did it anyway–3 miles. And surprise (not really), it felt good. Now that the holidays are over I need to line up my eating with the exercise, and I’ll be on the right track.

Meanwhile, we are still home. Waiting on the visas now. But this is it. After they are done, we are on our merry way. In the spirit of that, I’ve been whittling down my wardrobe even more. Seems like simplification is a slow, ongoing process. You get rid of a bunch of junk and then realize you have more that should have gone. It is like the act of releasing that thing frees you to do it again and again. We have a bin of clothes as well as a bunch of household junk that needs to go. Why didn’t all that go in the yardsale??? I guess we just weren’t ready to let go. So, anyway, I’ve gotten my wardrobe to about half what it was. I’ve edited out anything that was wearing out, didn’t fit right (well, except for a few things I love that will fit when I lose this last ten pounds, and yes, that is exactly what you are never supposed to do, hold onto clothes that don’t fit, but dammit, they are going to fit!), or just wasn’t a good look for me, plus anything that I simply didn’t wear. That said, I have about 4 items on a shopping list–just some basics to fill in the gaps now that I’ve simplified down to a core wardrobe. My goal is to get down to a wardrobe of pieces that I actually wear regularly. Seems like I had things in there that I’d only wear once in a blue moon. Honestly, I still have too much. I will probably go through another round of simplification after the move, when I’m dealing with a small apartment and little storage space!

I had four 3 milers in a row last week. Then the weekend came along and we were out of town, so no jogging. But I made up for it today. 5 miles, baby! Phew!!! It was a cold, cold run. I left about 4:15pm or so, which put me on the way home during sunset. I felt the temp drop about 10 degrees. There was certainly not going to be any walking involved! Nothing like cold and dark to motivate you to go faster! It actually felt good to push myself. Being lazy seems like fun, but really, it doesn’t feel good. And I’ve been feeling lazy, so it was nice to get out and go faster and farther than normal. Hopefully I will be able to keep up the good work with a little accountability here