10 reasons to work out today
Need a reason to work out today? I'll give you ten.
1. This song.
2. This outfit.
3. These kicks.
5. This inspiration.
7. This recipe.
10. This good idea.
What gets you excited to work out?
running when you hate running
The truth is I hate running. Allie and I both do. We actually forged our friendship over the mutual hatred of it. Okay that's a lie, but I definitely used to hate working out in general, which is always surprising to people because I’ve danced all of my life and I’m a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. But I had my reasons!
1. I was bored.
2. I was uncomfortable.
3. I couldn’t run for a long time.
4. I didn’t know how long, how fast, how hard I should push myself to actually be productive.
5. I was bored.
6. I couldn’t keep to a schedule.
7. I didn’t have great running shoes so my feet and knees hurt.
8. I was bored.
The list could have gone on. I would have sat there enumerating the ways in which running sucked for far longer than it would have taken to do a lap around my block. That was the power of my disgust.
Then I married a runner, and since my guilt complex is pretty solid, whenever he asked me to go for a run with him I could either choose to bullshit my way out of it and see him be visibly hurt or just go for the damn run.
Well years and miles have passed and now I go running with or without that guy. Truthfully, I don’t run as much because I’m working out every day already, but on my days off there is something alluring about taking off down the block. And I have my reasons!
1. I was bored, but now I am clearing. Clearing out all the voices in my head telling me I can’t do anything right, my shame voices, my guilt voices, my negative, downer, bummer, unhealthy voices that keep me from getting to work. If I can clear those out during a run, the rest of my day is about to be a powerhouse of productivity.
2. I was uncomfortable, but now I am stylish. That’s right. I was uncomfortable because I wore workout clothes that didn’t fit me, didn’t breathe, didn’t make me feel like I belonged on that open road. Call me crazy but in dance class, I always felt that I danced better when I liked what I was wearing. Maybe that’s vain, but if it got me to be a little more daring and a little less fearful, then I’m okay with that.
3. I couldn’t run for a long time, but now when I want to stop I do an extra loop first. Part of this is because working at Bari has made an incredible difference in my overall health and wellness. The other part is because whenever I have pushed myself one block further, I’ve proven to myself that I wasn’t actually about to die after all. This happened on one occasion with Craig when he wouldn’t tell me the time or distance we had been running and when we got back home, we had run a 10K. I hadn’t run for months before that.
4. I didn’t know how long, how fast, how hard I should push myself to actually be productive, but now I know how to figure that out. Being a personal trainer, I know what my maximum heart rate is and at what percentage I should be working to make a difference. But you don’t have to be a personal trainer to know that. You could a) hire one to work with you (hint hint cough cough) or b) google it. There is so much more information out there now that if you have a question on how to get started chances are someone else has asked it and it’s been answered.
5. I was bored, but now I am open. Some people come up with great ideas on their runs, or let off some steam, or solve big problems. I let myself zone into the moment. Instead of checking out like I do when I’m commuting on the subway, or narrowing my focus like I do when I’m walking on the city streets, I allow my perspective to open and let the world affect me. When I run, I commit to this small practice of vulnerability and it coaches me into an open place for the rest of the day.
6. I couldn’t keep to a schedule, and I still can’t keep to a schedule. On any given day, I have a to-do list that makes me want to start uncontrollably sobbing. Running, since I don’t come by it naturally, is NEVER at the top of my list. So when I finally reach the bottom of the list and it says, go for a run, you can bet that I’m not going to talk myself out of going just because I may not do it again for a few weeks. Like Allie always says, just put on your shoes and walk out the door. You never finish working out and say, "Wow, I really regret that."
7. I didn’t have great running shoes so my feet and knees hurt, but now I have better running shoes. This is the dumbest excuse I ever made. My God, JUST GO SHOPPING.
8. I was bored, but now I’m more interested in my personal growth than ever before. Running is not about anything but you. It’s your moment, your mile, your discovery. It won’t look like mine, it won’t look like your own from last week. When you can get invested in your own improvement, competing to be the best you that you can be, the boredom evaporates. Haruki Murakami put it best:
“For me, running is both exercise and a metaphor. Running day after day, piling up the races, bit by bit I raise the bar, and by clearing each level I elevate myself. At least that’s why I’ve put in the effort day after day: to raise my own level. I’m no great runner, by any means. I’m at an ordinary - or perhaps more like mediocre - level. But that’s not the point. The point is whether or not I improved over yesterday. In long-distance running the only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.”
What do you think about running? Do you like it, want to try it, have you been doing it for years? What's your secret to getting out on the road?
putting some health in your holiday
Do not get it twisted. The holidays should be enjoyed with full bellies, hearts, and arms. It is arguably necessary to indulge in the abundance of this season, and that includes indulgence in your own health. After all, aren’t we celebrating health? A healthy spirit, healthy relationships, healthy outlooks on a new year? So instead of going down that path where you forget to nurture yourself and feel more burnt out than built up, here’s how to keep the health in your holidays:
Write down your workouts in advance. The holidays are always busy. Take 3-5 hours a week to yourself to just connect with your own body. Sign up for classes in advance so you feel accountable. Include workouts in your planner just like you include holiday parties. Carve out the time you need in advance so you aren’t forced to choose when you are strapped for time and inspiration.
Simplify your cooking. I love food. My mom is the best chef I know (even her sandwiches have a way of making me reconsider why I ever moved out), and you can bet your cannoli that my dad makes the best pasta and gravy Sunday dinner this side of the Atlantic. But for all of those in between days, post-turkey and pre-pasta, I like to keep it simple. Just buying the necessities. Keeping it lean and delicious with proteins, vegetables, legumes. Simplifying means two things: a budget you can maintain now, and guilt-free indulging later. You’ll get enough food excitement from parties and family functions, so why not keep your list succinct and sustainable. Here’s a sample of what Craig and I are buying right now:
chicken breast
tofu
eggs
spinach
salsa
avocado
tomato
black beans
lentils
onion
turkey bacon
I can make three or four meals a day with that list:
Hearty Breakfast: scrambled eggs, fried tomato, avocado slices, turkey bacon and black beans
Breakfast on the go or snack: hard boiled eggs, salsa, spinach
Lunch: Salad with spinach, tofu, avocado, tomato, onion, turkey bacon
Dinner: grilled chicken, lentils or black beans with onions, sauteed spinach
That menu costs around $50 a week for two people. That's a lot of savings. That means more money for Christmas gifts. Like, say, I don’t know, this… 
Meditate, pray, write. Do one or all three of these things depending on your disposition. I’ve taken to meditating first thing in the morning for a mere ten minutes. Clearing your mind, allowing yourself to start your day on your terms is going to give you the juice you need to celebrate with family and friends without burning out. You can’t just hustle to each and every holiday engagement. You’ve got to fill up and recharge so that you have something to give once you’re there.
Get yourself some travel weights. Or resistance bands. Keep it lightweight so that you can pack it easily. This way, no matter where you are you can do a little something. Even if all you’re doing is a set of crunches with weights in your hands, you’re going to raise that heart rate up faster and burn a few more calories in a shorter amount of time. Slipping in a few sets here and there throughout your day when you’re visiting family will make sure you’re not stuck at a gym while trying to hold all those newborn babies.
Like this guy:
Be honest and gentle. I think the best gift we can give each other during the holidays is the acknowledgement of truth via the gentleness of love. So often we don’t say what we feel, and mostly that happens with the people who need to hear it the most. Open up and stop hiding from those you love. I'll admit it, I have a short temper. Sometimes when I’m on the subway and people are starting to irritate me, I will imagine what they looked like as children. I try to see innocence, wonder, potential. If we can do that with strangers, we certainly should do that with our families. It’s the best time of the year to remember that everyone struggles in their own silent way from time to time, and exposing your honest and gentle self gives everyone else permission to do the same.
What other ways do you give your health a boost over the holidays?