How to make your own adventure

As I've talked about before, not every fit adventure you'll have is a planned fitness excursion. Sometimes you have to MAKE your own adventure. Be it at a business conference, a weekend with the in-laws, or a day out with your family, the adventure begins from within. Case in point, uber-fit hubby's 100 mile bike ride from Austin to Shiner, Texas. Always up for a trip to Austin, I was chauffeur to get him to the start line, and then not counting the 2 hour drive to Shiner to pick him up and drive him and the bike home, have about 5 hours on my own in the fabulously weird city. So what's a girl to do? Well of course my first thought was to head back to the San Marcos outlets, but it's only been a few weeks since my last visit, not even time to refresh the stock since I last scoured the racks. Then I considered the Domain, Austin's new fabulous outdoor mall. But I felt the urge to do something more. Luckily my training program put me in the perfect position to handle speedy 5K, and wouldn't you know it, just 10 miles away from uber-fit hubby's start line there was a 5K to benefit underprivileged kids! I made a tag-along weekend my own adventure. I had plenty of time to get hubby to the start of his ride, get to my race and warm up, and then run my best 5K time ever (29:18, take that chronic knee pain!), then shower and check out of the hotel and do some exploring around town . The race itself was incredibly disappointing. Located on a school campus for the mentally challenged, we ran in circles around the compound. I ran the same loop twice (passing by my car in the parking lot each time). My initial hope was that running a 5K would put me in a prime location in the city and I'd have the chance to see a neat part of the city previously undiscovered. That was a major letdown, however what I didn't bank on was the deeper insight-seeing I'd be privy to, worth far more than a good view of the river. As we ran our campus circles, the mentally challenged residents who lived in the compound housing came out to watch us run. My lungs got fuller, my legs got stronger, and my resolve strengthened, because I realized just how lucky I was to be able to get out and run, lucky to have a mind that can focus on training and strengthening my body, and lucky to have the resources to travel and to enjoy these different settings. I stopped complaining about the soreness in my hip and the humidity, and I ran like I'd never run before. It wasn't quite the adventure I'd expected, but it was a great workout, and I came away with fresh insight. So keep your shoes laced, your water bottle full, and your mind open, and there's no telling where your next fit adventure will lead you.

Don't kick yourself when you're down!

Ever have a REALLY rough day? Boss screaming at you, deadlines piling up, maybe a total career crisis? What about a relationship break down, friend blow up, significant other or spouse that walks out? We were never promised that this world would be one giant walk through aromatic gardens filled with butterflies and cotton candy, life happens, pain and stress happen. But remember, just because you're floating in the bowl doesn't mean you're supposed to reach up and hit the flusher! It is so easy to let ourselves go when times get rough. Stress drains your energy, so it's easy to pass on that trip to the gym. When you're miserable, you want SOME part of you to feel good, so you let yourself dip into previously forbidden foods, sometimes even gorging on them telling yourself you deserve to feel good, that you'll stop once the stress is over. Well, you got one part right, you DO deserve to feel good. But don't let that be the trick your mind uses to undue all the good your healthy habits have created. It is easy to use food to medicate our minds and our hearts. In that moment your body feels good and you can tune out the other pain. But food can be a harsh mistress that loves you and leaves you in shambles. When she does, your body is in a state of chaos. Your blood sugar and hormones, already out of whack from the stress, go even further out of balance, causing everything from headaches to weight gain to and further sleep issues and depression and increased inflammation throughout your body. The worst part comes when you must face the realization and mental anguish that on top of your stress, you've just sabotaged yourself and your fitness goals. So what do we do about it???
Remember, the stress does not define you! When I started out as an attorney, I was in the best shape of my life, and within 2 months, I had no energy and had gained 7 pounds! Late nights at the office, happy hours filled with too much wine and bar food, anything and everything in the kitchen at work, you name it I ate it. I just wanted to feel good. The problem was, I never did feed good. I was exhausted, and that led to a vicious circle of more caffeine and sugar, no work outs, and further down the hole I went. One day I was just so worn down that I stopped to look in the mirror, and couldn't stand what I saw looking back, inside or out. I started taking care of myself, eating for fuel rather than comfort to boost me through stressful times, I made myself sleep 7-8 hours, and pulled myself back into the gym. 7 pounds came off, plus more. I had more energy, and created a new healthy cycle.
Remember, you are NOT helpless. Look at your health as an army against your problems rather than a battered shield. Hydrate, sleep, fuel, exercise to regulate your stress, hormones and weight (not to mention help you deal with the drama a LOT easier), and you can COMBAT your stress rather than wallow in it or exacerbate it. Remember, this too shall pass, and when it does you'll be healthy, proud, and looking fantastic.