Beyond Broccoli

Consistency is something I pride myself on.  After all, consistency is one of the keys to success, or so I've heard. However, most recently I learned a lesson in consistency that was not in my favor.

That is, if I consistently don't take care of myself and overload my schedule, I will successfully set myself up for failure in at least one facet of my life. Succeed I did.

There is success in failure, so long as you heed the lesson.

What I want to talk to you about is one of my favorite obsessions. FOOD.

Because so many people ask, I wanted to share with you a couple of my favorites.

BREAKFAST

1/2 to 1 C plain greek yogurt

1/2 to 1 C fruit (cherries)

1 T nut butter (almond)

chia seeds

cinnamon

local honey or maple syrup

LUNCH

4 egg whites...usually 1 yoke, 2 if I'm feeling adventurous.  Truthfully, yokes GROSS me out, but I know they are good for me, so I try

1 big handful organic power greens (cooked with eggs)

1 C cooked brown rice

Salsa, any kind

Base salt & pepper

SNACK

Pears w/ lavender honey goat cheese

I don't eat the same thing every day, but I do eat a LOT of greek yogurt and eggs.

What are some of your favorites?  

Back to the beginning

It seems like I've shared this story at some point before, but feel it's a good time to revisit.
Post-collegiate running days, I took a planned year off of running completely...which turned into more like 2 years.  Not to mention at the time, I ended up battling a severe eating disorder, leaving me with no muscle to speak of, out of shape and barley hanging onto life.  Needless to say, regaining my fitness started from ground 0.
Sound familiar?  I may have been at the other end of the spectrum, but my struggle to reclaim my life, health and level of fitness are something I know many of you can relate to.
I knew it was going to be hard, but this girl (me) has always liked a good challenge.  What did I do?  I put on my big girl pants and went to work.  No excuses.
My fitness plan started with what I considered a pathetic walk/run program and a foundational strength routine.  Physically it was hard, mentally it was the excruciating.  I had gone from an elite level athlete to remedial training.
It took me 2 years to be able to complete a 5k without walking.  Though I've come a long ways since then, when I take the time to think about it, the memory is painfully vivid.

The point is, I DID get out of it.  My fitness returned along with my life.  It was a slow progression and a bumpy road, but it happened.  How did I do it?  It's complicated, but here are few keys.
#1 - Focus on moving forward.  Every year, I set goals that scare me.  Goals that challenge me to be stronger mentally, physically and emotionally.  Goals that force me to get out of my comfort zone, goals I'm fearful I can't accomplish, uncertain they are attainable and doubtful I have the resources and means to accomplish them.  These are the kind of goals that lead you to the person you want to become.
You see, goals that are in your comfort zone, that you know you can achieve and within your realm of expertise are the kind of goals that bore us and most often abandoned.
#2 - Not allowing mistakes to define me, my progression or keep me from my dreams. Yes, I have weaknesses and am far from perfection, but I refuse to let those chinks define me.  I believe in hard work and perseverance.
#3 - Support. It has become increasingly apparent how important it is to be surround with support.  For me that support is incredibly diverse.  The first layer of support is family, friends and mentors.  I rely on them heavily for feedback, both positive and negative as well as keeping me grounded and balanced. My second layer of support is much broader and includes books, podcasts, blogs and other resources that keep me inspired, motivated, confident and humbled.

Don't let your circumstance define you.  Choose to live the life of your dreams.  Sure, it's not easy, but I promise, you won't regret it!

Beyond Broccoli

In an effort to add more dimension to my blog, I wanted to talk about FOOD. Not from a nutritionist point of view, but from a girl, that happens to be an athlete and loves food point of view!  

I grew up in a food loving family, but not by any means what an “average American” would consider food loving...or food for that matter.  We didn’t consume copious amounts of sugary treats or greasy fried goodness. In fact, I recall my Dad candidly remarking “If you eat fat, greasy food, you’ll be a fat, greasy dude”!

I’ve been a lover of all fruits and veggies for as long as I can remember and gladly make a chocolate bar last the better part of a year!  (ice cream is another story)

Lucky for me, I realized young how different foods affect my body, opting for the ones that make me feel good, and keep me from feeling lethargic, lazy and, well…gross!

I will reiterate, I am not an EXPERT, I just listen to my body (sometimes more than others) and eat real food!

Since it's fresh in my mind, I'll start with Christmas dinner.  The only holiday tradition my family has, is trying new things.  No gigantic pile of meat, no mashed potatoes, none of what you would see in most homes, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

CHRISTMAS EVE

I was lucky enough to make dinner for my Dad who was visiting from out of town, and I, which entailed pan seared sea scallops w/ salt and pepper (cooked to absolute perfection. seriously), a side of steamed broccoli (perfectly cooked as well) sprinkled with cheese and we shared most of a demi baguette.  

You see the real star of this meal was WHO was at it, not what we ate.  And the lovely bottle of 2011 Beaujolais ;)

CHRISTMAS

I was actually house sitting, so I had breakfast by myself, played with the dogs and went for a run with my virtual running buddy, all before meeting up with my brother's family for a little gift exchange.  Afterwards I took a quick nap and headed to my Mom's house.

Dinner turned out to be an unexpected treat!  I anticipated having leftovers from my Mom’s breakfast - our ONE  tradition is chili rellenos on Christmas, but she decided NOT to make it - what?!  And felt like stir fry - wha-what? DONE! 

What I love about going to my Mom’s is that she tells me what she wants and I get to create it! (I L.O.V.E. to cook)

So, we had chicken stir fry with absolutely stunning black rice.

It was not from a recipe or planned, so we just grabbed what was in the fridge and gave it a whirl!

Here’s what was in it:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

½ Red Onion, diced

4 large carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 turnip, cut into matchsticks

1 clove garlic, minced

Ginger - I thumb sized piece, minced

4 baby bok choy, sliced

5 mild chilies, sliced

juice from a mandarin orange

lime

crushed red peppers

soy sauce (low sodium)

ginger-garlic seasoning & spicy Szechuan seasoning

served with black rice

Um - yum!

Sometimes we do plan further ahead, but whether we do, or don’t, it’s never a stress.  The nice thing about not having traditional holiday meals, is that there’s no expectation.  No one’s favorite dish goes missing, instead, we usually all find a new favorite! Better yet, if it's a disappointment, no worries, we weren't planning on making it again anyway ;)

This year, I encourage you to go beyond tradition and just do and/or eat what feels good!

CHEERS!

XO

Sarah

Jackpot

If I told you the future of your dreams was a $2 lottery ticket away, what would it look like?

What would you do with your life tomorrow if today you won the lottery?

"I don't like to gamble, but if there is one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself." - Beyonce

YOU are the jackpot.  Do something EPIC with your life.

Running and movement

As a lifetime athlete, I have always had an intense fascination with the human body and how it moves. I've spent countless hours observing, researching and practicing movements to figure out the most efficient path for optimizing athletic performance.

Over the course of my life so far, I have competed in numerous sports from soccer to javelin to long-course triathlon and everything between!  Not only have I had countless hours of personal experience in training and competition, I've also had the opportunity to coach high school varsity athletes (soccer, basketball, volleyball, track, tennis, cross country, rugby and swimming), coach adult endurance athletes (swimming, biking, running and triathlon) and increase the physical fitness and strength of the general population at large as a Personal Trainer.

Here are a few things I've learned as both an athlete and coach:

• Injuries are often a symptom of a larger issue.
• Individuals do not all have the same level of body awareness.
• There is not always one optimal movement pattern, but one that is best for each individual.
• Successful athletes are a blend of physical talent, mental fortitude and relentless determination.
• Intuition is underrated. Listen. To. Your. Body.
• Mental skills take just as much training as physical skills, make time every day.

Though all movement fascinates me, running is no doubt where my passion lies.
Not too long ago, I finished my latest course on running through Bobby McGee, Total Run Transformation and I couldn't be more on fire about running and sharing what I've learned!

This is a great video that highlights some of the basics on running technique.

http://bobbymcgee.com/essentials-of-running-mechanics-with-bobby-mcgee/

In run training, it's important to start with a sound foundation to build upon.  Strong before long.
One must first look at their own movement patterns, kinestetic awareness, range of mobility, stability, flexibility, strength and symmetry.   Every movement you make throughout the day represents habitual patterns which can help identify where inefficiencies originate.  Any compensation allowed to continue over an extended period of time is not only a sign of dysfunction, but can lead to injury.
Strength imbalances are a symptom of compensation and result in instability around the joints. This results in our bodies relying more heavily on smaller stabilizing muscles as the large muscles/muscle groups are not able to contribute effectively.  Once the stabilizers are over worked, recovery is compromised, reducing your ability to train consistently and more often than not, leads to injury.
In order to be able to maximize your training, it's exponentially important to reduce both your inefficiencies and risk of injury!

YOUR TURN:
How is your body moving?  Take the time to check in with yourself.
Does what you are doing feel right?  It might feel easy, but the path of least resistance only the most worn, not the most efficient.
Have you seen pictures or video of yourself running and/or moving lately?  Ask a friend to help.
Do you have chronic injury/pain and treating the symptoms does not seem to be helping? If so, you haven't found the real problem yet.
Have you sought the help of an expert?  It's worth considering.

Remember -
Train hard, live well!

Sarah

Thankfulness

Thankfulness:
         1. Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful.

2. Expressive of gratitude: a thankful smile.

I can't think of a day in my life I'm not grateful for! In fact, most days before I go to sleep, I write down 3 things I'm grateful for. This exercise is especially helpful on those "bad days", I am able to put everything behind me, go to bed with a full heart and look forward to the coming day.
On this day in particular, I wanted to share a few things I'm thankful for:
My family. There is nothing like unconditional love.
My friends. They keep me grounded.
Holidays. I love seizing the opportunity to express gratitude and spend time with loved ones.
Long weekends.
Rock concerts. LOVEd me some PEARL JAM this weekend. Best. Concert. Ever.
Training buddies. Having people to train with can make all the difference on long weekends with lots of travel, late nights and the previously mentioned concert.
Triathlon. I could not imagine my life without this sport and the community within.
Portland. Good people, good vibe, great food.
Road trips. Always an adventure.

Do you have an attitude of gratitude everyday?
Start by writing down one thing every night and reading it back in the morning.

The WHY

All week I thought on this blog, inspired to write something other than my thought life.  I came up with some really great topics!
As I sat down to write, I closed my eyes to clear my head. Opened my eyes, and let my intuition write take over and write what the topic should be.
"THE WHY"
REALLY?  Great.  Dear instincts, thank you for never giving me an easy out.
Though I do spend a fair amount of time speaking on my thought life, it is not an easy task.  It's not easy to let go of all my protective barriers and be able to write freely, and publicly.
First, before answering WHY, do we need to define the WHAT? This one took me a while.
Honestly, no, it doesn't matter what the WHAT is, my WHY is the same.

WHY do I do what I do? WHY am I who I am?

Because I choose to live a life worth telling a story about. Because I want to live the life of my dreams, not just dream about it. Because I want to inspire others to LIVE the life of their dreams by letting their authentic selves shine and grow brighter every day.  Because the best way I know how to inspire is to lead by example.  Because I am immensely grateful for my life and the things I get to experience in it, every day.

Why not!