So, What are You Training For?

What is happening today?!  I have a question to ask you...  What are you training for?

It's a legit question! You could be following a running program for the next big race. Maybe you are cycling to complete the Corporate Cycling Challenge here in Omaha. It's possible you are swimming so you can conquer your first open water swim triathlon. Perhaps you are lifting to compete in a strength challenge. 

But for me, at 40 years young with bad knees and a full schedule the most accurate answer I can come up with is...

"I'm training for life."

I've done the races - runs, bike rides, triathlon. I've played in volleyball tournaments and leagues. While I'm still a competitive person, I've come to realize that sports, medals and trophies aren't the only reason to train.

I'm not here to impress you or anyone else. What I am here to do is live the healthiest life I can. I want to feel strong and empowered in my daily life. I want to be a positive example to my kids and the folks I interact with every day. I want to show that YES YOU CAN if you focus and have discipline - no matter what your goals are. It's important to me that I enjoy all that I can everyday, no matter where I am: having the strength and stamina to enjoy hikes in the mountains, bike rides down volcanoes, a full day of swimming and paddling in the ocean, sand volleyball, or volunteer to carry a standard and walk 18 Holes of golf as a volunteer, to help my kids when it's time to move all their belongings down a steep set of stairs, load a truck, and then unload and carry up 2 flights of stairs, or carrying a heavy suitcase up the stairs from the subway (Side note: That wasn't super enjoyable, but I was glad I could do it!). 

I want functional strength. What is that, you ask?

Functional strength is the strength that gets us through life and daily survival.

But wait - I don't want to GET THROUGH my life, or merely survive! It is my intention to be active as long as this body allows me to be, and I'm going to do all that I can to live up to that intention! My knees are a challenge for me - but I find ways to keep moving. I listen to my body and push to my edge, but not passed it. (Maybe someday I'll get new ones that bend like they should!) I want to continue to take on new challenges, explore new places, and experience all that I can. That's what functional strength means to me.

Another major component to my training is nutrition. 

Nutrition. Yup. Notice I didn't refer to it as DIET. While DIET is what we eat, many look at it as a temporary state, something you do to punish yourself for bad food choices or a few extra pounds gained. I'm switching the script and calling it Nutrition. How should I nourish my body, fuel it to successfully train for this epic sport called LIFE?

Tough question. I'm finding that pinning down the "right" answer is a challenge, and very different depending on what you read and who wrote it!

Here's what I know: When I keep it simple, whole foods, nix the artificial stuff, and drink plenty of water, I feel awesome. I sleep better, my digestion is better, I'm less irritable, and getting through my workouts feels easier.  I'm not a proponent of any particular fad-type diet or anything that's uber restrictive - I'm not all Paleo, or Vegan, or gluten free ... I'm working on the KISS Plan. KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID! :D  

I wish that we all could have learned early in life that diet and exercise and taking care of our bodies was our best bet for staying healthy.  How has this been missing from our education? Why is "fixing our diet" an after thought?  Why is diet and exercise prescribed AFTER the diagnosis? I may never understand the reasons for the way health, nutrition and fitness education has evolved (or disappeared, as it were). I feel strongly that we all  need to take a more active role in our well being through strength training and nutrition. After all, there is no finish line. This sport lasts for a looooooooooooooooonnnnggggg time (if we're lucky).

So lace up, get warmed up, and let's get after it - DAILY. 

Until Next Time,
<3 Jen

More Time BEING and less time DOING...

Hello Friends,

Some of you may have seen this video circulating around the interwebs. It talks about how as women (hell, all people, really) we focus on what we've gotten done, our resume of accomplishments, our list covered in red check marks... what do you have to SHOW for yourself? These women share that they would spend more time enjoying life and living in the moment. They share the mantra, "Spend more time BEING, not DOING."

So, what is a chronic DOER supposed to do? Many of you know: I make lists. I like to schedule everything. If it's important to me, it has a place on my calendar. It's always been about keeping busy, accomplishing, doing... I have FOMO - you know, the Fear of Missing Out. If I don't keep going, doing, working, moving, getting shit done, kicking ass and taking names, that I'll somehow miss out on some amazing opportunity.

With the latest Iteration of Awesome - Jen4.0, I've been busier I could have imagined. Good busy, but some days still feel overwhelming. The "To Do list" continues to push me around. Because, I mean, who wants to build up to the idea of what 'just right' is? I want just right RIGHT NOW! There is work to be done, emails to send, calls to make, social media to update, strategies to learn, workouts to write, research to do. I'm so thankful for a great team, at work and at home, and I'm finding that work feels less like work than all my previous iterations.

But, at what point do I put "BE" on my To Do List?

For a list maker like me, putting "BE" on my to-do list has become a new "DO". Sounds like an oxymoron. Let me explain.

I've made appointments to just "BE":

Yoga. 2 mornings a week where I can reconnect with my intention, feel my breath, listen to my body, and enjoy the company of others without feeling like I have to be the teacher or hostess.

Walks. Returning to daily (and sometimes twice daily) patrols with my furry boys. It's not just good for them, it's quiet time, creative time, and me time. I focus on conversations with them instead of running through my to-do list. I observe the neighborhood, enjoy the sunshine, feel the wind in my hair.

Bedtime. Sometimes I read, other times I've been getting to bed nice and early so I can feel fully rested the next day.

Coming soon - Gardening. I've got the garden prepped and most all the planting done. We've spruced up the back yard so I can spend more time just BEING - listening to the fountain and wind chimes, feeling the breeze, maybe even enjoy a fire pit on cool evenings.

I've been reading a fabulous book that has helped me with some ideas and tips on how to Level Up - but this is just taking my ultimate goals and breaking them down in to manageable quests/tasks. So, if my ultimate goal is to DO LESS and JUST BE MORE, the To DO list above is a great way to start.

Sure, there is more on my list - and I'll never be an idle person. But for me, finding a balance of DO and BE is priority. If you spend your whole life working from one thing to the next, when do you enjoy any of it? The time is now. Do AND be. 

It's maybe not the popular mindset, but it feels good to me. I'm working on making the DO become the BE, and when I get there, I'll know I did it right.

Love what you do, do what you love and JUST BE.

Until next time,
<3 Jen

Time to Reboot!!

Hey Friends!

It's been far too long since I've written - and for that I apologize. Not just to you, but to myself. This is an outlet for me, creatively and as part of my healthy lifestyle. Writing represents part of me that I want to continue to develop and a discipline that I've let slip by as less important.

Clearly, I haven't made it a priority. And that's the key. I will prioritize the things that I deem most important for my health, well-being and happiness. This blog is one of those things! So, in the spirit of technology and with the guidance of my favorite technology geek hubster, it's time to reboot!

The theme of the month of May is "REBOOT."

This month, the management team at the Studio is taking on the "Reboot" theme with a 30 day cleanse. We'll be resetting to the eating habits we know we should follow, cleansing and detoxing our system, and the best part? We'll be doing it together. Supporting  each other with clean recipes, support on tough fasting/cleanse days, and working out together. We'll be flexing our "will power" muscles, for sure!

I'm not much for before and after photos - because, frankly, THERE IS NO AFTER. Healthy eating and exercise is something I plan to do forever. And, while releasing some excess fat, bloating, and reducing inflammation will change the way I look, that's not what this is about. It's about feeling my best, feeling strong, sleeping better, digestive health, and taking control of what I can control. (Though, I will be taking measurements and stepping on the scale to measure progress.)

I hope you will join me in taking time to REBOOT your life. Revisit a habit that you've let slip. Reboot your commitment to eating well. Reboot your commitment to exercising. Reboot your commitment to being present. Reboot your commitment to living the life you love!

Look for weekly updates from me - maybe even some Video Blog action!  

More soon!

Until then,

<3 Jen