Category Archives: Health

The Long Road Back

by

Your injury stories are boring.
Your rehabilitation stories are boring.

So are mine. It’s not interesting to people that do what we do because we all test our limits. Everyone goes hard. Everyone breaks something. We all push and then we all suffer setbacks. Then we push again.

All I know is today I ran for the first time in years.

It hurt my pride maybe more than my body. I was self conscious. I was slow. I was in the middle of a city I don’t know.

But I did a few things. I woke up and I put clothes in a bag. I reached out for support and was supported. I turned loud music up, laced up my damn shoes, and suffered. I ran out of breath. I over thought the whole ordeal. And then, I did it. The doing was done. The high set in. The weak knees hurt, but they survived. I survived.

And maybe even that is boring. Most of us survive. Most of us break through the mental barrier. Most of us get back on the horse that kicked us off.

top_10_hobbies_extreme_sports

 

I’m happiest that no matter how long it took I attempted what I feared would be impossible, and I overcame odds and overcame myself. The physical pain I feared was nothing compared to what happened on the inside. That isn’t boring. That’s transformative.

 

 

Advertisement

Finally Hitting The Yoga Challenge!

by

Skiing has kinda killed me. I’m happy about it, but I’ve skied more this winter than the last two winters put together. I’ve skied harder, faster, and better. I’ve also totally repeatedly taxed my body to the point of exhaustion. I’m still wondering if what I have is a set of hairline fractured ankles.

The ‘break’ of SXSW provided not much of a break, the walking and standing didn’t give my feet, ankles, and knees the time to rest and repair I’d hoped for. Then I came home to a ton of new snow!

I’ve been trying to get back to the gym or back to yoga every day, but was just too beat. I finally started today in the basement, and thankfully there and not the gym! I had to take two ‘time outs’ on an hour long yoga workout. Sad.

If you remember me mentioning this Yoga 21 Day Challenge at the beginning of the year, I am so fortunate that all the videos are still available. You should check it out! I didn’t get to it then, but started it today.

I made it about two full months of not eating any crap. Unfortunately that kind of hurt me in the long run, eating crap in Austin made me super sick one whole night…but oh well. I’m upping the ante to no fast food and no restaurants, which will again have to wait until we get back from my Momm’s birthday vacation, although I’m going to try to force myself to either salads or small portions, haven’t quite figured that out. And again, if you ban it, then when you’re stuck with it, it hurts. Kinda curious about the appropriate balance. Thoughts?

And I have a question. I’m back to getting in shape, building flexibility, and cultivating this healthy body to ski and live with.

Do you use any supplements or swear by any product to help?

I’ve been drinking this daily and really like it, even though it’s one of those “not validated by the FDA” herbal kind of things. Any of you have something like this that you use/take/drink?

http://www.yogiproducts.com/products/details/detox/

RELATED: Read this right after posting this blog, what do you think?

http://blogs.yogajournal.com/topfive/archives/2011/03/5-reasons-i-will-not-be-cleansing-this-year.htmlb

Healthy Health

by

Perusing my past is a constant theme around here lately. I’ve been digging around my own archives to see what I can learn about myself. I find it hysterical I was once posting a weeks worth of workouts, cardio, and drinking habits with you. I was honest and accountable, but that didn’t really change my habits.

The weirdest thing about yoga to me is that I can practice it all day, but if something sets me off, I’m right back to my old self. This happened when I visited my parents, and even in talks with friends. We all do this with resolutions. It isn’t easy to be resolute.

After Vegas I was trying a little healthy eating, no drinking, minimum caffeine regimen. It barely lasted a week. Your resolve constantly needs to be strengthened, I think that is why yoga gives you mantras, and AA gives you the Serenity Prayer. I mean, to look at it’s most basic level, I’m not even going to make my book reading goal that seemed so easy back then.

My workouts were super duper insane when we lived in La Jolla – minimum 5 mile runs and then power lifting 5 days a week. But I pretty much looked and felt the same after a year of that. Yoga as a workout has improved my flexibility, but I’m sure not getting any skinnier.

What is the hardest resolution for you to keep? Does it deal with food, alcohol, writing, reading, even workouts? What do you do to try harder?

Deer Valley Hike

by

Here’s some pictures from our first uphill hike. Me, with the short legs and fat lady breathing, taking up the rear. The three tall guys made me look bad.

Deer Valley is a beautiful place to hike. The dogs loved running through the brush and the views were amazing. I totally burned enough calories for the fajita wrap I had at lunch at Windy Ridge! Hiking – to me – is walking in less attractive clothing. But good company to chat with made it fun. What I wonder now is if the exact same hike is less interesting the next time around.

View The Photos.

Lazy No More

by

The fact is that while you were all jonesing for blog posts and wondering what was going on in Park City, I was working on my fitness.

MK and I joined the gym here. My friend CL has made it her personal mission to not only show me all the classes and skills the gym has to offer, but to torture me inside and out, and probably revel in how much better shape she is than me.

Our 4th of July weekend was tons of fun but a bit mellow. I was feeling a little off so I was glad we didn’t go too crazy. We cooked out several times with the B’s and the McH’s, played with the kiddos, and went to the local parade (pictures coming soon).

But Tuesday we felt like it wasn’t over. I went to an early tough workout class, so I was exhausted at the end of the afternoon, and we napped. We went over to a friends for drinks. Wednesday CL and I went to the pool. Our gym has a POOL.

Thursday we went for a huge hike up Deer Valley, then to lunch, then to our neighbors for an impromptu party. The whole week has felt like the holiday never ended…and that’s my FAVORITE!

Between the workout class and the hike, I realized that I am in terrible shape. Back to the hardcore challenging my body. Back to work(out)!

If Only I Believed In Reincarnation

by

In my next life, I’d go to school, become a chiropractor, start yoga young, give all my friends free adjustments all the time, and get hired by an awesome indie rock band that took me on tour with them to balance partying with yoga and back cracking.

I had to go to the super nasty valley to take our car to the ‘doctor’. Of course there was a bunch of $ crap wrong with it, and they gave me a little loaner with hamsters working the engine to run around in. I went out shopping in a rather uniquely trashy part of the valley. I got bored pretty quickly so I found a highly recommended chiropractor on my phone and got right in.

Last summer I hurt my back doing one of those pull up stomach crunch machines. It only hurt sometimes, when I’d ski wrong or move heavy stuff around the house. But all the yoga twisting reminded me I really needed to get it looked at. More recently, I knew I had done something to my neck as well. In Austin I had the most fantabulous chiropractor ever. There was nothing like going to see her after three weeks of leaning over my work desk typing on my computer. She realigned my spine every time it fell into the work desk rut. I hadn’t been since – four years or more.

I feel like a million gazillion bucks today. My neck WAS really messed up – and me sleeping on it in pain and trying to relieve the pain myself was making it worse. He fixed that, took care of my back injury, and gave me some tips for the future. A+ all around, except where he mentioned I might calm the yoga down if it was beyond my ability, since my body was pretty tense and tight, the opposite of what I’m going for. That was humbling and hilarious.

Beginning Yoga

by

I just finished my second full hour of yoga. Fortunately for MK, this isn’t the kind of thing I need a new wardrobe for, and I already own a mat. In addition, there are a ton of DVDs I can watch on Netflix instantly. Because this is what I do: enjoy something, decide to be hooked, and then spend more time shopping for accessories than doing the actual workout or sport. I think that’s a typical girl thing…

I have spent some time online reading up on the whole deal, and don’t see myself going much further than the basics, but this is me two hours in. We’ll see in a couple of months. My first class was at a gym here, and I thought it was pretty easy. Until two days later, when the backs of my legs and all the things I had stretched out and felt some heat on were aching. But a good ache. Then we had company and a trip to Vegas and a day in bed to recover from Vegas, but I was eager to try again. I just did 5 10-minute videos to try some different things. It was definitely challenging and already rewarding.

As a short little thing, I feel like I walk taller and have more grace after yoga. I feel full, breathe well, and totally sleep like a baby. That’s enough benefits to keep me coming back. I look forward to this new journey and sharing it with you – I have no idea what I’m supposed to keep track of or how I know if I’m improving, so feel free to share if you know more than I do!

If Peer Pressure Works

by

Living here for just the last week has made me realize something: If peer pressure works, every one of you will tell me you hate me this year. If peer pressure works, I might end up in spandex. If peer pressure works, I’ll be franchising a gym. If peer pressure works, I’ll have the butt of a biker, not of a Kardashian. If peer pressure works…

There wasn’t even a break. All the locals that I’ve been scoping out and recognizing amidst tourists all winter are basically all that are left now. You can’t miss them. They didn’t take a break. The ski resorts closed Sunday, and they went home Sunday night and washed and packed their ski gear. Then they broke out the road bikes, the mountain bikes, the running gear, the hiking poles.

*blink*.

I feel like I spent a long successful winter flying down runs, and even and extra tough last week plowing through powder, to enjoy some lying around in the warm weather. But no. THERE’S NO BREAK IN PARK CITY!

I am pretty happy about it, really. We tried the Globo Gym here, then the more casual Joe’s Gym. We tried walking around outside. We will try to take advantage of all the lessons and learning from friends about spring sports and athletics there is to try. I’m only to happy to run my errands in work out clothes, once I’m no longer the FATTEST person in the entire city, even though I’m losing weight. I’ll love getting out and doing things with people. I’ll love the adventures. But really, really, I’ll be easy to spot amidst these crazies, I’ll still be taking a break.

Healthy Living Is Overrated

by

We had a big beach volleyball party last Sunday. A too big party, really. And we partied and stayed up past our (MK’s) bedtime. I got a little grounded for not having sympathy when he didn’t put himself to bed. So as punishment I had a self imposed week of clean living. Just to prove I could do it. And I did do it. But I think it’s totally lame.

I got up at between 5 and 7 every day this week – usually (my honesty embarrasses me) I get up around 8 or 9. I worked out all week – which I haven’t done in forever. I stayed sober all week (again, that honesty thing).  I cleaned house, read books, didn’t even get too much sun. We went out to dinner only once. We stayed in at night besdies volleyball night and even then left early and kept it very low key.

All it did was water weight bloat me and make me irritable. And crabby. I didn’t feel like myself at all. Some people might get better from a ‘cleanse’/detox period, I think I crashed and burned. I mean, really, I’ve gotten so used to my night owl hours and way of life the change did not do me well. I got told at volleyball last night I am super-no-fun-pants when I’m there sober. I agree.

Thank goodness KD is coming this weekend to get me back to my old self!

County Fair Round Two

by

This is the second time we took a trip to the fair. I loved it last year (here’s that post) and since DW would disintegrate in any more direct sun, the fair provided an option since the beach was out. Unfortunately since it was the last weekend, and the day before the holiday that everyone was off from work, we spent an hour getting there. It was worth it when we got our Zucchini Weenie though!

That’s right, they actually listed it in the program as the newest feature food of the fair. The description is a simple one: a hot dog, in a zucchini, fried in batter. It was at the stand that also featured the fried chicken in a Krispy Kreme donut, the fried mushrooms, the fried ice cream cookie sandwich, the fried Twinkie, and the fried Oreos.

Fair food is hilarious. There is no light snack. There is splurge after splurge. Fried food in general, fair food, etc., is a big treat. Well, at least for us. There were people in that line that I’m not sure realized that all their problems could be solved by stepping out of that line. Maybe not solved, but let’s call it a step. There were multiple people in those carts driving themselves because they were too big to walk in that line. I just don’t understand…