This post is so named the "cha-cha" because, like any person making major changes to their lifestyle, I'm struggling.
And to help myself adjust to and progress through the struggling, it's best to be both honest and optimistic about it.
By that I mean...
After my half marathon in Hyannis on Sunday (in which I attained a new personal record of 1:58:28!!), I have been eating so poorly! The day of the half I had a huge buffalo chicken sub with provolone cheese, lettuce, and avocado (to make myself feel less bad about eating the sub, I added avocado to it--LOL). Then I had an enormous salad with all the goat cheese and all the raspberry vinaigrette (which I'm sure was full of all the artificial flavors).
And on top of that I've been eating all the dark chocolate I can get my hands on.
What is happening!?
But instead of seeing it as a failure (or a disaster if you refer to the picture), I'm choosing to recognize it as a cha-cha. A little step backward, followed by another step to propel me forward.
I'm back to eating quinoa for breakfast with cinnamon, a tiny bit of stevia, almonds, goji berries, and dried cranberries. I could probably do without the dried cranberries because they're packed full of sugar.
I've almost finished reading Clean by Alejandro Junger, M.D. And I plan on beginning the three-week clean program on June 9th. My last day will either be the 29th of June or the 30th. I might stretch it out another day or so depending on how I'm feeling. I was thinking, if my skin issues have not cleared up to where I want them to be, I might even stretch out the program for a fourth week--wallet permitting.
I'm a little nervous about what my exercise regimen will look like on the cleanse. The book talks about how hard exercise halts the detoxification process. During this time the body is accessing its other resources to fuel the muscles, thus placing detox to the wayside. So the book calls for milder exercise during the cleanse. Such as yoga and...walking. =(
But I can't picture myself without a ten mile run two to three times a week for an entire month!
I'll have to meditate on it and hopefully come to terms with the greater process at large.
That's about all I have for now. The moral of today's story is: if you're making a change and you encounter a set-back, don't let it ruin your hope for the change. You're only human. We all struggle.
My old supervisor used to tell me, if you're going to eat the cookie, eat it fully and wholeheartedly. Don't eat it and feel guilty while doing so. Just eat it and enjoy. Likewise with change, embrace it fully and wholeheartedly. Set-backs or none, reward yourself for the progress you've made and continue to work toward your goals.
We're all just doing the cha-cha. We step forward, we step back, and we step forward again. Make the steps to get yourself back on track, and forgive yourself for the back steps along the way. If you keep moving forward, the back steps are miniscule compared to the long-term journey pushing you forward. Believe in yourself.
And continue to take care of yourselves, my friends. xoxo
Heyyooo
So I realize I've neglected this blog for a few days. Have had a lot of stuff going on. As per usual.
I started reading this book called Clean by Alejandro Junger, M.D. It's blowing my mind.
For those of you who have never heard of Dr. Junger or this book (which I never did either before I stumbled upon it on a random search through Amazon), the primary emphasis is to inundate you with knowledge in order to increase your awareness of the toxicity that plagues our environments, our food, and our health. He also provides you with a three-week program to detoxify your system; ultimately improving the status of your body, mind, energy level, and overall health and well-being.
There is even a section that discusses IBS and "leaky gut" (I know, that sounds disgusting) which I was excited to read about. It reminds me of when I used to spend hours at the doctors' and dermatologists' offices when I was younger. Time that could have been more effectively spent if someone had only asked me what I had been eating! It's so incredulous to recall that not one doctor or specialist I've gone to over the years has ever inquired about my diet!
I talked to my friend, Allison, about this after our Slow Flow Yoga class on Tuesday and she actually knew about the cleanse and has done it herself! I'm a believer now, more than ever. She said it absolutely did wonders for her. She said it cleared up her skin--people even commented on how clear it was! She also noted her energy levels improved and she dropped weight like that!
This book has definitely increased my awareness of the toxic chemicals in my environment. I feel as though I'm hyper-aware of all of the junk in my life now. It has also made me more mindful of negative thoughts and their origins.
I'm going to be doing the cleanse myself after I finish the book. Which (at this point in my busy schedule) will most likely be after my second half marathon on Sunday. So hopefully the first week of June.
Gosh, is it going to be June already? Where does the time go... seriously, guys.
When I do the cleanse I'll promise to blog every day to log my thoughts, how I'm feeling, and what I'm eating. Yes you actually do get to eat on the cleanse. It's not a silly juice fad like so many people do. Juicing is involved, however. I bought my first juicer and it came in the mail on Tuesday! I bought a Breville Juicer, refurbished, $99 on Amazon. What a steal! Those things can get wicked expensive!
Oy but anyway, I'm so in need of this cleanse. My seasonal allergies are horrendous and I'm so sick of starting my day with Zyrtec. This cleanse is supposed to eliminate seasonal allergies on top of all the other wonderful things it does for your body! I also have eczema and right now I have a bad break-out on my face of all places.
=(
Horrible. And so embarrassing. So that will most likely clear up as well. I had no idea how much is connected to your diet.
See, the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know that because then they'll lose money. Yes, I'm being a tad cynical (as always) but it's the truth!
The question you should be asking yourself is, "What am I eating?" The second question is, "How is what I'm eating affecting my life?" And the answer, if you're mindful, should be simple.
I know nobody ever wants to do this, but it could be helpful to start creating a log of what you ate that day and how you felt after. Did you notice a difference in your skin tone? Bowel movements? Gas? Energy level? Mood? Were you bloated?
After doing this it might open your eyes!
I've known from a very young age that dairy is not my friend. Did you know that we are the only mammals ON EARTH that continue to drink other mammals' milk after we are finished breast-feeding? Isn't that kind of gross? I think it's disgusting. And I'm sorry if that's offensive. But, I'll confess, until the past year I was huge into dairy. Loved chocolate milk, any type of ice cream, milk chocolate, cheese, you name it. If it was a dairy product, it was most likely included in my daily diet.
Not anymore.
So on top of preparing for this cleanse I have been increasing my fitness regimen immensely. On Monday I did Hot Power Yoga for an hour and fifteen minutes. Took a class by myself in Hingham. But I realize (after this being my second Power Yoga class) that this form of yoga is not for me. It's full of fast-paced, high-intensity aerobic moves in a heated room over 85 degrees. Then, to add on more stress, they keep telling you to connect with your breath. Meanwhile, I'm panting like a dog and I cannot connect with my breath. Each time the instructor says to do so I wanna punch her in the head. That is not therapeutic nor is it calming. Both for me to feel that way about the instructor (LOL) and for the people taking the class! After, they end the class with a meditation. But it's nearly impossible to meditate when you're 1) super freaking hot and 2) have just been moving around like you were doing jazzer size for over an hour. No, thank you!
So I was thankful to sweat for an hour and fifteen minutes and release some toxins from my body. However, I will not be going back for Power Yoga.
On Tuesday I did a Slow Flow Yoga class with my friend, Allison, for an hour and a half. It was a LONG class. But much slower than Power Yoga and I could actually enjoy the meditation piece at the end. I learned some cool new moves that I can add to my list to practice at home. The one I particularly love is the bound warrior pose. I wasn't feeling the instructor's energy. There was something sarcastic and angry about him. I felt it from the moment the class began. I'm very receptive to people's energy. Always have been. And that really makes a difference.
After class, Allison and I got some delicious tea from a local place across the street. She got a Yerba Mate and I got a ginger lemonade. Yum! We talked Dr. Junger for about 40 minutes and then we both had to part ways.
I joined my friend Brett an hour later for our first 10 mile run together. It was the longest distance he's ever run outside and I was so proud of him!
I have to start tapering now because my race is in a few days. I really dislike tapering. =(
Then on Wednesday (today) I joined my friend, Tanya, again for Boxing in Southie! This time I felt stronger. I really appreciate how each instructor at that gym has a different routine. The classes are hardly ever the same. I like when they can keep things fresh. I will most likely be sore tomorrow but not as sore as I was last week. I plan on doing a 9AM class with her tomorrow morning.
In terms of my meal plan I've been avoiding a lot of the things I once thought were good for me.
For instance, peanut butter--not good.
Soy--REALLY not good.
For all of you who think soy is healthy, stay away from it beginning now.
Cheese and any other dairy product (& IBS)... need I say more?
Strawberries... one of my favorite and most beloved fruits. These carry more toxins than almost any other fruit because of how much pesticide farmers spray on them to keep them fresh. It's nearly impossible to wash all of the toxins off. So I'll just stay away instead, but sadly so.
But the hardest one to eliminate from my diet thus far (but one that I know my system will probably benefit the most from) is wheat. First of all it's in almost everything we eat. Even ketchup. Which I think is a disgusting condiment so I don't care about it anyway. Or mayonnaise, or mustard. The only nature-made condiment that is fine by me is avocado!
I know after I eliminate wheat my system will flourish.
Red meat...now I loooooovveee a good burger. Oh dear lord, don't get me started. I respect and love all the vegetarians and vegans out there, but oh my I cannot be parted with my burgers. But there are so many hormones injected into the stuff and our cows (the poor things) are fed some pretty awful stuff. So no matter how lean the meat is, there's always a toxin to be found somewhere. From the styrofoam packing it's sold in to the actual meat itself.
I'll be able to live without red meat for this three week cleanse. And I've significantly reduced it from my diet. Once every two to three weeks, I'd say.
Now here's an interesting fact that Dr. Junger brings up in his book.
For all of you pescatarians out there...fish are loaded with both toxins and metals!!
Most of us know, or are at least aware of, the dangers of mercury and that a lot of fish products harbor this toxic metal. But what you might have not been aware of... is the fact that some companies that manufacture fish products are feeding the fish repossessed dog food! Recalled dog food--stuff that isn't suitable for your puppy to eat--is being fed to fish, and ultimately, to you.
Talk about hard to swallow.
If you're still reading this you really should just go buy his book already. I don't do PR for the man but I totally would if asked! (wink, wink)
I can't wait to finish the book and start yet another journey along my path to increased fitness, health, and well-being.
I hope this was helpful for some of you, if not all of you.
Take good care of yourselves. xoxo
Whew! So today I did my first ever boxing class! I went with one of the bartenders I work with at my restaurant job. "She does this class 5-6 times a week," I thought, "so this will be no big deal."
Boy, was I wrong!
The gym is Peter Welch's in Southie which is less than 2 miles from my house. So, of course, I ran there. Maybe next time I'll walk there haha. It was an intense hour of jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, sit ups, planks, push ups, punching the bag with boxing gloves on, punching the air with boxing gloves on, jumping rope, high knees, stretches. Punching, punching, punching until you feel like you might pass out and your arms might fall off simultaneously.
I sweat and sweat and sweated some more out of places I didn't know I could sweat from. It was everywhere. Drenched my hair, my back, my legs. Dripped into my eyes! Ahh! A whole new meaning to "feel the burn."
But I'm glad I did it! Afterward, we got our nails done at a salon in Southie. Because a fresh manicure does some sore muscles good! =P
Despite how sore and tired I am and how much that class kicked my ass, I want more! I'm going back on Saturday.
As I type this I can already feel how sore my triceps, back, and quads will be tomorrow! But I'm thankful for it. I haven't been sore in a while. Even after running 11 miles on Monday and again on Tuesday I wasn't sore.
I haven't had a chance yet to read some of the books I bought on clean eating. I have one on my Kindle app on my iPad and two more are coming in the mail today. I hope to share some of that knowledge with you all through this blog.
But so far I've been eating right the best way I know how to. I went grocery shopping earlier this week. That's something I really take my time with. I take the time to read labels and make sure my purchase will serve my body some good in the long run. I try to shop at odd hours so the grocery store isn't jam packed. Ugh, there's nothing worse in Boston than going to Market Basket on Saturday morning. Or Shaw's, or Stop & Shop. It's all the same.
Just chaos and anxiety-ridden customer's trying to get in and get out as they slam their carts into other people. And why--I ask you--the fuck do they bring their children? It's bad enough having all of these rude adults running around trying to get their groceries for the week rather than having children running around like chickens with their heads cut off on top of it.
I miss Wegman's. I'm originally from Upstate New York. Best grocery store ever, in my book.
So anyway, I'll shop at 10pm on any week night. Where was I? Oh yeah, back to eating.
I've been trying to come up with 3 to 5 base meals I can make myself on a weekly basis which are both semi-easy to prepare and ones that I won't get tired of eating constantly. Yesterday, after my long run, I made kale and butternut squash quesadillas. So delicious!
I chop and sautee the butternut squash with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil for about 10-15 minutes. Then I'll sautee the kale on its own just until the leaves fold and turn a nice dark green.
Throw a vegan tortilla in a frying pan for 5 minutes with a tiny amount of extra virgin olive oil. I put maybe a few pinches of cheese in there. Dairy really messes with my IBS but what's a quesadilla without the queso. Then I'll toss in the kale and the butternut squash and a small layer of cheese again. Cook it for another 3-5 minutes and voila! I always add half an avocado to the quesadilla once I'm done. There's nothing like avocado. I always hear Thug Kitchen's (what I imagine his voice to sound like) voice in my head saying NATURE'S BUTTER, BITCH! as I lather my quesadilla with avocado.
That fills me up for the night. If I feel hungry enough to snack I'll have some pistachios and some frozen fruit. I love frozen raspberries and frozen blackberries. I've been using my YoNana machine to make home-made frozen fruit yogurt-esque type goodness for dessert.
I've slowly been trying to eliminate dairy from my diet. I know that probably won't happen anytime soon, but I'm making smarter choices about it. If I have cereal, which I do sometimes. I'll eat Kashi Heart to Heart Oats and Blueberry Clusters (Mmm mmm mmm) with almond milk. Always almond milk. Not a huge fan of soy. A nutrition coach once told me that soy is actually bad for you in the long-run. But then again a lot of shit is bad for you. And most everything causes cancer. Or has some vague correlation to cancer. Anyway, enough cynicism.
After kick boxing today I made a banging salad. I use lemon juice for dressing. Chop up some lettuce, strawberries, an apple, throw in a small amount of goat cheese, and a fuck ton of dried goji berries, dried cranberries, and almonds. I'm set for the afternoon!
For dinner I'll probably reheat the leftover butternut squash and make that quesadilla again. The avocado in the fridge is moaning my name. That's right, moaning.
So that's two meals. I also make a breakfast wrap before long runs. Vegan tortilla, small amount of peanut butter, gluten free granola with dried raspberries, chopped up strawberries and bananas. And Boom! You have just made yourself a banging breakfast! Now that's three meals!
I typically post pictures of all of this on my Instagram page. You can check it out, my username is: @chimchiminy
So that's all for now. I'm gonna shower now because I smell of used boxing gloves, gym, and sweat.
Take care of yourselves! xoxo
Hi there!
So I have basically no clue where to begin...
It's been a while since I've written anything for pleasure and now I'm beginning to recall what a luxury this is. And to be able to use conjunctions! And write the way I speak! Whew! I could do jumping jacks...
Let me begin by saying my name is Rachel, I'm 24 years young, and I recently attained my Master of Social Work degree from Simmons College Graduate School of Social Work. There are still a few steps that need to be put in place before I can call myself a true social worker (such as getting licensed--which I will be doing this summer). But for now I have decided to take a month off from it all. I just worked my ass off for the past two years. Busted my butt in a full-time graduate program with a 24 hour per week internship and two part-time jobs on top of that.
If you've ever wondered what true exhaustion feels like, I've just described it to you in the aforementioned paragraph.
So anyway, in a nutshell I was not taking very good care of myself about 9 months ago. I ate chocolate allllllll the time. I drank probably 2-3 cups of coffee PER DAY! And every night was not complete without a bowl of ice cream in front of my face. Or a chocolate bar being shoved down my gullet. How's that for some fatty imagery? =P And worst of all...I DIDN'T RUN! *cowers*
I had such a love-hate relationship with fitness. I rationalized my lack of motivation by telling myself that climbing the escalator every day on my commute to work was enough of a work-out. And, by the way, this escalator was the escalator from hell! It literally took you from the depths of Boston, probably close to the earth's core, to street level. I'm being dramatic obviously but anyway...
That was my life nine months ago. And I have GI issues on top of everything, so add that to my stress level and boom! I was miserable.
And then... my boyfriend's mother asked if I wanted to run a 5k in Davis Square with her. For those of you in the area this was the Jingle Bell run. It was around the second week of December. At first I thought I couldn't do it... I thought to myself, "train and run in the freezing cold of winter? Ugh, who would do such a crazy thing?!" But then I took a look at my life and thought... "yeah, I probably should be doing that."
So I did what any typical American would do, I started a blog! I told myself I was going to stop eating so much damn chocolate, work out for a change and write about it! Because that would hold me accountable for the changes, right?
I didn't keep up with the blog, graduate school restricts the amount of pleasure in your life like that. However, I kept up with the fitness regimen and I don't eat ice cream anymore. If I have chocolate, it's always dark and if I ever have ice cream--which I very rarely do, it's dairy-free.
On November 4th 2012 I went for a 10 mile run. My first run in months and the longest distance I had ever run. It took me 2 and a half hours! And I couldn't walk for days after. But I told myself that I had done it. I had broken myself in and made the beginning steps to a long-term fitness journey. There was no going back. No flaking out of the running world like I had in the past. No excuses.
I was slow in the beginning, really slow. But we all start somewhere. It doesn't matter necessarily how long it takes you the first time, as long as you complete that goal you set out to accomplish. What an incredible feeling that is, by the way. As a true procrastinator, it feels great to just get out there and GET SHIT DONE. Runner's high is a real thing, and there's nothing else like it.
I completed my first 5k in December 2012 in 36:14 with an average pace of 11:05 minutes per mile. Then I did another in January 2013 in Lexington. I finished that in 29:21 with an average pace of 9:11 minutes per mile. Then I did a third 5k in March 2013 in Southie and completed that in 27:19 with an average pace of 8:48 minutes per mile.
Now I can run a 5k in 25-26 minutes and I'm still improving. But the point is we all have to start somewhere. So don't beat yourself up over the fact that you may not be capable of what you want to be in the beginning.The bottom line is that you. are. capable.
After all of those 5ks I wanted more, something bigger. So on May 5th 2013, 5 days before I graduated from Simmons, I ran my first half marathon in Gloucester.
Boy, was that one hilly son of a bitch of a run!
I finished in under 2 hours with an official time of 1:59:42. But I know I can do better. The body will carry you as far as the mind is willing to take you. Running is a mental sport. With the right training and copious amounts of water, your little legs will keep moving. But it all comes down to whether or not your mind is willing to continue. My second half marathon is in Hyannis on May 26th. It's a flatter course and I'm going to run harder than the last half.
A good friend once said that if you remain ignorant of your limits, you'll reach new heights that you never knew you'd be capable of. So I'm going to stay ignorant of my limits. Because as far as I'm concerned, there's no limit to what you or I can achieve.
So this is where I'm at now...I run A LOT. Or at least a lot more than I ever have in my life. And if I don't run it shows in my mood. Running is so cathartic for me. It allows me to release negative energy and replace it with clean and clear energy. Running is a full body cleanse. There's no other work out that does that for me. Maybe to certain degrees, but not to the degree that running does.
Now that running and I have maintained a solid relationship--it's been a wonderful 7 months--it's time to up my nutrition game. As previously mentioned, I have some GI issues and I've struggled with these since I can remember. It runs in my family. My mom has Crohn's disease and I've been blessed with IBS. (Yes, that is sarcasm.)
So I really need to be careful with what I eat. And if I don't, it can truly be handicapping. But it doesn't have to be. As I've begun my own healing process, I'm entering a space where I feel an urgency to love and respect my body as my temple. It deserves that love and respect because I deserve that love and respect. I owe it to myself, as we all do, to take care of my body. What goes into your body nourishes your mind, and what your mind generates nourishes your soul.
Thus, this blog was born! And here I will log my experience as I embark on a journey to eat better and take care of myself. The changes will most likely happen slowly, but I will carry on nonetheless. And hopefully I can inspire others to make steps in similar directions.
So this is where I'm starting. I'm going to stop telling myself that I can't and start telling myself that I will. Plain and simple.
