Doing Your Thang
Hey guys! How’s your day going?? Mine has been bueno- the pilot hasn’t been called into work yet, so we’ve been chilling. He’s kind of fun 😀
First things first, the Dick’s Sporting Goods Giveaway winner:
Julie!
Congrats!! Please send me an email (fitnessista at gmail dot com) so I may forward it to the Dick’s Sporting Goods fairy. Enjoy your new sneaks and whatever other goodies you buy!
This morning’s snack was the obvious:
The rest of the kale chips I made yesterday. They’re gone now :/ So good while they lasted!
I also made some gluten-free dough from a mix I picked up at Whole Foods.
(Nope, I’m not GF, but tend to eat that way pretty often)
I rolled half out and half-baked it for tonight’s pizza (all I have to do after work is add toppings and bake- wahoo!)
And used the other half to make a sub roll for the pilot’s lunchtime sandwich:
(Canola mayo, organic turkey, greens and havarti)
It’s in the fridge waiting for him 🙂
I’m about to walk the puppers and make a smoothie before work.. methinks it will be a Chocolate Cherry Bomb
Bomb diggity. Haha.
Before I go, I wanted to ask ya’ll about the following comment I received along with my response:
So my question is, do races or other fitness events (like working out) stress you out?? Why do you do it?
For me, the huge thing is how I feel at the end. After a particularly mentally and physically challenging workout, I feel like a million bucks. That’s what keeps me going back for more: working out and challenging myself keeps me healthy, and motivates me to push towards a goal. If every workout (or race) was lah-di-dah, not only would my results dwindle, I wouldn’t feel much satisfaction when it was over.
Yes, working out should be enjoyable and you shouldn’t punish yourself by working out, but I definitely think there should be sometimes when you feel like you can’t do any more. And then you do. And that’s how you improve. It’s the makings of goal-breaking, ya know??
So talk to me about it.. what keeps you going back for more??
I’m off to train some clients, hop on the elliptical and see how my legs do, then it’s pizza time.
xoxo,
Gina
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I’m like you- I LOVE the thrill of finishing a race much more than starting it! I get nervous before races too, but it’s all good by the end!
xo
K
You think if bloggers didn’t post race times and stuff on their blogs they might not be as nervous? It’s interesting to think about! I noticed too (I like to read running blogs) that a lot of writers get really worked up and then down on themselves if they don’t have a new PR at the end of every race.
Before I got pregnant I was racing every weekend…I love running with a crowd, cheering on other racers and seeing if I do better/worse at the end. I can’t wait to get back to it in 6 months! My next goal is to tackle a full marathon for the first time. I think I don’t get real nervous because I don’t try to impress anyone – I do it only for myself.
i definitely think that if bloggers didn’t post their times we’d be less nervous, but we’d also know that some readers would probably look up our race times. very interesting to think about!
Races stress me out but I do them for the challenge. There’s nothing like working hard and training for something and accomplishing your goal. Usually if you’re nervous about something it just means it’s important to you. Why do we do anything in life that’s uneasy or difficult???
I’m just starting to try a vegetarian diet for the month of March with my friends. (March of the Veggies!) I have been seeing your use of nutritional yeast for months and was wondering where I could get something like that and if you have a particular brand you like.
so cool!
all of my favorite supplements are on this post: http://fitnessista.com/?p=5091
Good discussion here!
Personally..fitness is about strength, power and the mind. I love being able to focus on the strength in my mind and the things my body is capable for. While I don’t run races for injury reasons, when I did train it was about the strength and power I felt. The energy I would invest in myself and being a part of something that was bigger than me!
Hmm..my first half marathon is coming up in May, but I would hope that I at least enjoy it a little bit through out the race. I totally understand the feeling like a warrior afterword thing, but if I’m going to pay $$, train for weeks and weeks, and travel to run, I best enjoy it even if just a little bit..
Meh, different strokes for different folks! Either way, you rocked it and you should be PROUD!:)
I get a little nervous/anxious before races, but not in a bad way – it makes it exciting for me because I can’t wait to get my leggies moving! The only times I’ve been actually stressed before a race was before my very first marathon simply because I didn’t know what to expect. It didn’t mean it wasn’t something I wanted to do though and I ended up having a seriously amazing time!
i love this topic because i can relate to it oh so well! i dont really love running in fact i curse and complain about it before and during, but afterwards makes up for it. races are completely different because regardless of how you feel physically mentally you are experiencing something entirely different on a race day than on a training day. im no pro to running at all, but i do love the afterglow and also how proud of myself i feel after i accomplish something i didnt think i could. thats why im doing a triathlon – even though even i think im a little crazy!
Friends keep me going back for more. There are a bunch of us at work that go to bodypump together, we drag eachother out a couple of times a week which is a great motivation. I am sure that once I start seeing hte changes in my body I will be motivated by that too.
I haven’t run a race yet, but I’m working toward a 10k in May and a half marathon in October. Training for these races has helped me shift my focus away from losing weight to improving my all-around fitness.
My endorphine rush keeps me going back for more…I love that feeling..and also the feeling that I accomplished something that 90% of people in the US didn’t that day…and that each day I am becoming more fit and healthy! 🙂
I find that I need to set goals to keep myself motivated! So, when it comes to exercising and fitness, once I reached my goal weight I needed a new goal. For me, that goal was to increase my running distance and to train for a half marathon. It seems scary sometimes and many days (after a run MUCH shorter than 13 miles) I think I’ll never be able to do it. But hey, that’s what goals are for – to push you forward and achieve things you never thought possible! 🙂
I was talking about the same topic just the other day! There is one sports conditioning class at the gym that always makes me SO nervous beforehand (sprints, jumping squats and everything painful is involved), but like you, I do it for the feeling I have AFTER it’s over. Sometimes I have a hard time pushing myself on my own so I need outside help to get me going!
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
The actual race itself doesn’t really stress me out – maybe some flutters the night before and morning of but that is 100% good stress for me. That’s the stress that makes my adrenaline kick in and is what makes “race pace” happen. It reminds me of the feeling just before I went onstage when I used to dance. And the feeling after is what makes it all totally worth it – strong, accomplished, proud!
Ok, so here’s my take. I ran my first half marathon in October with a time of 2:07. Very respectable. However, looking back at the weeks I was training, I realize that I made mistakes. I didn’t cross train like I should have (I just did my 3 weekly runs) and I didn’t eat well at all. After the race was over I looked back and wondered if I could have had an even better time had I done everything right? Now, I am cross-training properly and eating WAY better. I feel so much stronger and I just know I will improve my time. In fact I did a 5k this past Saturday and finished in 25:21 which beat my previous best 5k time of 26:52. The first half marathon I did to prove I could do it, the second (which is in Nashville April 24) is to prove I can do it better!
I’m with you! Working hard toward any goal whether your education, fitness, weight loss, starting a new business, anything that pushes you beyond your present condition provides a wonderful sense of accomplishment. There are so many internal mental & physical things during the preparation & achievement where you can give up and say why, but pushing past all the negative and finishing strong is Nirvana! Love the feeling – 48 and finishing strong!
thank you gina for such a nice honest response! I’ve always loved running but I’ve never had the desire to race…maybe I’m just not competitive or possibley motivated (?) enough to train for it. Youre such a great inspiration! Thanks girl 😉
no prob! hope it’s cool that i used your comment for a blog post 🙂
The race is part of the journey!
I run as a form of meditation, and the stress is a hurdle through which one learns to find peace and grounding. I’m not just running — i’m practicing patience, learning inner strength, touching base with my body (there’s nothing like an upcoming half-marathon to get you to treat your body with care and respect!), and finding balance.
The race is really just an extension of the training. It’s stressful, but rewarding in so many ways. And! Very communal. Nothing like the atmosphere of a race! So many smiles crossing that finish line!
Best best!
kat
I finally tried kale chips with nutritional yeast atop…it was so tasty, even the bf loved it! Do you have any other foodie suggetions for using nutritional yeast with? I’ve seen people use it as a topping on eggs and pasta, but are there any good recipies to incorporate it in?
all i usually use it for is kale chips, popcorn, eggs and salad
it would probably be good in savory baked goods.. like cheesy muffins??
I used to use running races a lot to boost my self-worth-i.e., make me feel great, like I was special because I ran a faster 5k than I had before and I was a “runner.” I never really enjoyed the races-the crowds, the noise-but I do like to run. It’s my time to clear my mind and be with God, out in nature. And now, being a grad student, I don’t really want to run races and pay to run because I can run for free on my own!
I think that when I developed more as a person, and developed other interests-like drawing, painting, hiking, baking, volunteering, playing music, etc., that I felt more fulfilled and accomplished and I no longer needed to run races to feel like I was succesful or accomplished. I’m not saying that it’s not a good thing for some to run races if that is what they truly love-but I know I don’t, so now I spend more time doing things that truly bring me joy. And the more joy I have, the more I can share with others.
It’s all about the runner’s high! For me, part of the motivation in running a race is the training itself…pushing yourself to go that extra mile or a little faster than you thought you could. I can feel the adrenaline just thinking about it! Not every training run is great, but when it is, it’s enough reinforcement to keep you coming back for more. (Kind of like those unexpected great golf shots.) I also want to be a good example to my children and I find training for a longer race is a great analogy to accomplishing any goal – take smaller steps regularly until you reach the goal. Anything is easier when you break it down. It’s also cheaper than therapy! =D
That sub roll just looks sinfully delicious! And I’m always such a big fan of your cherry bomb shakes!