A Gnu Concept in Fitness

Trainer: "Be brave, don't be shy. BE BRAVE!! Be your inner wildebeest!!!"

...I don't think he actually knows what a wildebeest is.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Grey Sky Blues.

I've lived my entire life in the Northeast. As much as I enjoy the variety that having four seasons brings, winter has a disproportionate share here in New England, or at least it feels that way. Right about mid-February, all my winter appreciation is spent. I'm tired of dirty snow banks, the slush and ice, the stupid optimists who keep insisting, "Spring is coming!" and most of all, the amount of time I spend inside, breathing recycled air.

As my mood reaches surly bear level, the country itself levels one more blow at me: Daylight Savings Time. Oh, how cruel it is! Just when I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, by which I mean the sun in the morning, before I go to work, I'm quite literally plunged back into darkness. It sounds pretty pathetic that an artificial adjustment in schedule could have such an impact, but it takes me weeks to recover.

I start sleeping All. The. Time. When I'm not shutting out the world via sleep, I'm probably stuffing my face with every carbohydrate-laden food known to man, being completely oversensitive to small upsets, breaking out in full body eczema (is it the stress or the aridity?), and then scrounging in my cabinets for more carbs to eat at my kitchen counter (mac & cheese, you are the devil). When I descend fully into March Madness, the whole thing devolves into a vicious cycle of self-hatred, where I not only enact all those behavoirs, but deeply hate myself for doing so at the same time. I know it's coming every year, so you'd think I'd be prepared by now, and the truth is that it's insidious, and almost always upon me before I'm aware. At that point, I'm usually sunk deep enough that its a struggle to claw my way out - but I have definitely developed some coping mechanisms.

Exercise. This is #1 because it has been the most effective way for me to not be a sad sack of crap from February - whenever Mud Season ends. On top of those delightful chemical releases, I always feel a very lasting sense of self-worth and accomplishment when I set a fitness goal (non-scale, typically) and meet it. Last year I was training for the Tough Mudder, and I think it was probably my best winter yet. This year, I don't have a good long-term goal, so I've actually been a bit de-railed in recent weeks. Luckily, those endorphins are instant feel-good feedback, so it's been a pretty easy transition back.

Nature. Despite the cold, the slush, the mud, I force myself to spend time connecting to the outdoors, even if it is from the pavement. The sun is mostly hidden, but being outside when it shows itself reminds me that it is not all bad. There is beauty even in this most hated time of year. There are also signs that this too shall pass. Today, I saw the first cardinal I've seen in months, and he was singing his heart out at the top of a pine, a glorious contrast to the evergreen and white around him.

Diet. Sadly, the carb cops don't pull up and shout, "MA'AM. STEP AWAY FROM THAT LOAF OF BREAD. PUT DOWN THE PASTA AND THE CHEESE, WE'VE GOT YOU SURROUNDED." Eventually, though, I do remember the connection between what I put in my body and how it feels, and I try to shift the balance by stocking only the good stuff in my cupboards, and being meticulous about actually sitting down to eat meals. At a table. I might miss the mac at first, but eventually vegetables and good sense win out. (And, yes, the wine helps.)

Meditation. I regret that I am not more consistent in my practice of this - I've got a busy mind, prone to overdrive, and I bet that a routine of meditation would help me stay balanced. But, I never seem to turn to it until I'm desperate and that is usually when it's hardest to do. I have a mental image/memory that helps: it's summer, and I'm on a ridge in a coniferous forest. The sun is coming through a break in the trees, and I'm surrounded by saturated color; red-brown bark, straw colored pine litter, and a hundred greens - from the lightly grey-hued lichen to the rich verdant moss and needles. I'm sitting on the the forest floor, in a soft pile of needles. The warm scent of resin rises all around me. Sometimes I can't recall the feeling of the sun warming my skin, but I never forget that smell (which, incidentally, might protect us from climate change) and it always brings me peace.

The recent spell of warm weather (by spell, I mean the past two days) has definitely lifted my spirits. Also, it looks like syrup season has finally begun (sap flows best with warm days and cold nights) and who can be sad, thinking about pancakes? Eventually, perhaps, the solution to all of this will simply be to move somewhere a little less arctic, but for now, I'm surviving.

 

Posted with Blogsy

It ain't easy bein' green... Or smooth.

...Lucky for me, I'm rarely either.

It all started with a box of pears, a fruit neither N nor I can muster any enthusiasm for. Typically, my answer for extra fruit is always the same: smoothies.

Ah, the smoothie, modern food's gift to women. Because, let's be honest, sometimes chewing is just too much effort. Once the exclusive territory of fruit, dessert and booze, now it's anything goes! As long as there is kale. Don't forget protein powder, chia seeds, raw, organic almond milk (not ACTUALLY milk), and did I say kale? Kale makes everything better. And, who could say no to sucking all your nutrition down a straw?

 

 

 

Sarcasm aside, I do like smoothies. I also see the allure of the green or thickie smoothies. Kind of. Remember back in elementary school, when you'd pool your loose change to get the weird kid to mix all kinds of foods together on his plate and eat it? There was a reason that was gross. These supposedly high octane, miracle smoothies often get a little too close to that memory for me.

But, back to the allure. The everything-but-the-kitchen-sink smoothie recipes seem to promise some magical nutrition alchemy. Get an entire healthy meal, stave off naughty cravings, fuel beastmode workouts and fit into size four jeans all by sucking down what amounts to lumpy juice, prepared in just minutes in your food processor. It's like we're one step away from The Jetsons, where we receive all our food in pill form. But, that doesn't sound nearly as attractive, does it? We get pleasure from more than just fueling our bodies - there's enjoyment in the mechanical and sensory aspects of food, and throwing it all together kills that for me.

I've tried green smoothies, and they don't leave me feeling superhuman. In fact, I find myself mostly annoyed that there are bits of kale stuck in my teeth. And, being one of those folks naturally blessed with an enjoyment of greens, I think I'll take my kale next to the protein on my plate, not blended with it.

So, what are your thoughts about smoothies? Any favorite recipes? I tend to go with whatever fruit and dairy I have on hand, but I like this basic recipe from Monica at The Yummy Life, as it gives you a good idea of what proportions of stuff to use.

 

Posted with Blogsy

The Year of De-Clutter

I am not an organized person by nature. This would undoubtedly shock most of my coworkers, among whom I have the reputation of being an anal neat freak. While my soul craves clean lines and vast uncluttered surfaces, the reality is that I have worked hard to train myself to become habitually tidy. I accomplish this very successfully at work, thanks to routine. At home, the results are a bit more varied, but I'm still learning. I'd like to share some of the basic habits I've found at the core of any kind of organization, particularly of the personal kind. 

1. Own less stuff. 

In theory this one is pretty simple. Clutter is made up of stuff. The more stuff you have, the higher the likelihood of clutter. In practice, this is the most difficult part, which leads me to...

1.1 Find meaning in people and experiences, not possessions.

This is a mantra I repeat to myself, over and over. I tend to invest sentiment in my possessions, and that makes them a part of my story - so that giving them up feels like giving up a piece of myself. I just need a reminder that throwing away an ill-fitting t shirt is not going to make that trip to the Grand Canyon any less wonderful or real, which allows me to....

1.2 Weed through stuff regularly. 

I have a mental pile for things I notice that I have not used in recent memory. If I do not find myself using it in a defined length of time (usually a month), I let it go. I've read of others who actually make this a physical space, a basket or shelf in the home, close to the door, so shepherding it out is that much easier. Of course, getting stuff out is only half the battle, you also must...

1.3 Choose stuff judiciously.

Use caution when buying new things; do you already own something that would fulfill its function just as well? This will sound like sacrilege to some of you, but two feet can only wear one pair of shoes at a time. For a given season, how many different types do you really need?  Gift receiving can be a hurdle here, too - get over it. How likely is it that Great-Aunt Mary is going to stop by and demand to see that totally fug serving platter? Don't even allow unnecessary items like this to settle in your home; recycle, regift, thrift, or junk immediately.

2. Keep stuff where you need it.

Okay, you're thinking, none of this is exactly surprising, why am I reading again? I found that the key to being organized is mostly made up of things I already knew. It was the ways they were applied that were a discovery. Obviously, you're going to be less likely to put something back in its proper place, the farther and less accessible that place is from where you are, so...

2.1 Define spaces in your home for specific functions. 

If you eat in every room of the house (totally guilty!) you are going to have to pick up dirty dishes in every room. If you only ever eat at the table, dishes are only going to have to be gathered from one place, when you go to clean them. This goes for every other type of activity. The bedroom is the most spartan room in our apartment - I only use it for sleeping activities and clean clothing storage. It is the easiest room to clean, because the stuff in that room stays in that room, so even if things are out of place, it is a simple matter to put them back. I live in an apartment with five total rooms, so the rest of the house is pretty multi-functional. I am careful, however, not to let those functions overlap much. I work and craft in office and entertain myself in the living room. That way, craft supplies do not have to be schlepped back to the office, and books/movies/iPad schlepped out to the living room. This makes applying #2 much easier. 

Less stuff = better sleep!

3. Develop a routine. Stick with it.

Probably the most eye-opening thing I ever read was this blog post: http://www.home-ec101.com/clean-it/weekly-chore-schedule/. I knew I needed a house-cleaning routine, but I didn't really know what that entailed. Inevitably, I would let messes build, until they hit a critical mass and then tear around trying to do it all. I took the schedule Heather provided and modified it somewhat for my needs. The first two weeks were rough, because it felt like I was cleaning ALL the time. And there were times when there were other things I wanted to be doing. It got better, and the first month really clarified points 1 & 2. I would waste less effort if there was less to clean, and the process of putting away was more efficient. 

Write the routine down, so you have a visible reminder of what you should be doing. Being a creature of technology, I also put these as repeating tasks in my google calendar, so regardless of where I am in my crazy schedule, I don't have to remember today is Wednesday to remember today is bathroom cleaning day. 

4. Rinse and repeat. 

All three of the above are ongoing processes, and I'll be the first to admit that I am not perfect. There are always elements out of your control (significant others, work, life events...etc), and it can be extra difficult sticking with the above when life happens. However, the balance is shifted when you commit, and getting organized and staying there becomes much easier if you're always trying to be in that mindset. Before, on a "messy" day, it would take me hours to straighten things out, and now it is usually less than one. 

I hope you found this helpful! In future posts I'll share some of my projects around the house, with an eye to being better organized.