Is There Life After Running? Finding a New Healthy Home.

If you’ve been following along on my journey for awhile, you know that I was a COMPLETELY non-athletic child, teenager and adult…until I got a wild hair in 2012 and signed up for a runDisney race. I then became hooked, and it was thrilling to enter a world of health and fitness that I previously didn’t even know existed. I was healthier than I’d ever been before, and it was great.

An injury in late 2014 caused me to stop running. I keep trying to run again…and the injury flares up. It’s so frustrating. My favorite race happens here in Atlanta on July 4th. It’s a 10K, and I didn’t sign up for the lottery back in March, because I knew it wouldn’t be good for me. But now I’m right on top of it, and I’m seeing all these people prepping for it…and I have to talk myself out of signing up at the last minute. Even though I know I’m not prepared in the slightest. Even though I know I could hurt myself.

(What in the heck is wrong with me?!?)

I’m struggling with finding where I fit in with fitness now that I’m a “recovering runner”. I miss the training plans and the excitement of race day. I miss the runners high. I miss the jeans I fit into 3 sizes ago.

I’m trying to find my new healthy home. Is it yoga? TRX? A barre studio? I don’t know. But I do know I’m tired of sitting on my tushie waiting for it to come to me. So I’ve decided that it’s time to try everything, even things I never thought about doing before–because, quite honestly, this time 10 years ago I NEVER, EVER thought I could love running like I do.

This weekend my goal is to list out all the fitness things I want to try, even if they scare me. I know my new favorite thing is out there.

What do you do when you want to switch out your fitness routine? What workout do you love that surprised you? 

 

No More Sneaky Sugars: Labels Get a Makeover

A couple weeks ago, the FDA announced that there would be some changes to the way they labeled food, and–to risk sounding like a nerd–I’m pretty excited about the changes. The three biggest changes, in my opinion, are:

• The phrases “calories”, “serving size” and “servings per container” are going to be bigger and more prominent.
• Vitamin D, iron, potassium and calcium will be included on the label in actual grams as well as the daily value percent.
• Labels will include added sugars, in grams and daily percent values. I personally think this is the biggest deal–how many times have you picked up something, like fruit juice, and wondered how many grams of sugar was added and how many occurred naturally?

Manufacturers have until July of 2018 to make the changes. Here is a version of our current label and a label with the new changes.

from FDA.gov

I like the look of the new label a lot, and even though we’re a couple years out from having them switched over, I think it will make a difference in the way people see the nutrients (and the additives) in their food.

There are also some changes being made to serving sizes, to make them more realistic and based on what people are actually eating.

from FDA.gov

What do you think of the changes that are coming to food labels? Do you think they will make a difference in the way people eat and shop?

A Change in Words

When I decided on my word of the year for 2016–security–I envisioned myself creating a foundation of schedule and pattern. I imagined planning ahead to create a vegetable garden, a homeschool plan, and workout routine. Other things on my list included a five year plan that included finances, buying a home (and maybe into the Disney vacation club) and professional development. Yes, 2016 was going to be the year I became secure.

Then January happened.

And February got even crazier. And since then life has been moving at a pace and a direction that I couldn’t have even predicted back in January. And this week, I decided that security–at least in the form of schedules and patterns that I had pictured–wasn’t in the cards for me this year.

And so I’m calling an audible and changing my word of the year. After some thought, I’ve decided on the word Embrace.

Yep, that’s me this year: a glorious mess.

Life is offering me some pretty cool opportunities this year, and I don’t want to shy away from them because I’m so focused on feeling safe. Of course, working on financial security and keeping JC secure in his father and myself remain a priority. But since change usually inspires me to stick my head in the sand, I think my guiding word this year needs to help me make the most of things.

What’s the best way you handle a change in plans?