The Lighter Side of Shade

8 Oct

shade

On your weight-loss journey, you’ll hear lots of comments from the peanut gallery. Most will be positive.

  • “Good job, kid!”
  • “You’re looking really good!”
  • “Congrats on finishing that race!”

Many, however, will be shade in the guise of a compliment.

  • “God, don’t you eat anymore?”
  • “You’re just withering away.”
  • “You’re crazy to be working out that much!”

Nothing hurts as much as someone dismissing your achievements as an act of insanity. It takes a clear mind to dedicate yourself to taking care of your health. There’s an obscene amount of planning and scheduling that goes into a weight-loss program. For a “friend” or “loved one” to say your actions are crazy is hurtful, dismissive and counter productive.

It’s common human nature to reject the unfamiliar. But your friends and family love you, so they’ll try to say encouraging things that in the end come out kind of douchebag-y. To help you make your way through the muck, here are a few translations I use when someone says something completely idiotic as a complement.

1. “That’s all you’re going to eat?”=”Oh, you don’t eat as much to keep your weight down, right?”—One thing people will notice in the beginning is your diet. If they’re not working out with you, they don’t know how much work you’re putting into your routine. But everybody eats. And if you’re eating with friends and family who are privy to your dining habits, they’ll notice that you seem to be cutting your portions in half and requesting doggy bags all the time. Don’d despair . Explain to your dinner companion that you’ll just eat the rest later, which is true.

2. “You’re getting so small, you’re gonna just blow away.”=”It must be really windy out here.”—Unless there’s a tornado in the area, I highly doubt you’ll blow away. You’re definitely not getting that small. Blow into a building—maybe (that’s happened to me a few times on gusty days). I’ve never seen the wind pick someone up and move them.

3. “You run how many miles a week? That’s insane.”=”That’s incredible dedication you have to your program.”—A lot of the time, it’s just jealousy that feeds the shady comments people will make to you. They want to be able to do what you do. They want to be able to get up early to hit the weights or do a couple of laps in the pool. They want to lace up their shoes and just walk a couple of miles. You can. Try to be an encouragement to others who are interested in your good works.

” I just don’t have the time to do something like that. It must come really easy for you.”=”That’s really impressive and amazing that you’re so organized.”—Once your weight-loss plan has become routine, it becomes a task to fit other parts of your life into your plan. You’ve scheduled your meals, planned what fitness classes you go to and gotten all of your other projects in order. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Your friend could do the same if they stuck to a plan. Help them figure out what plan works best for them. Go over your routine and see what fits into their schedule. Soon enough, they’ll be working life into their fitness routine, and not the other way around.

You are doing great work. I’ll tell you that if no one else is. Don’t let your closest naysayers do anything to take you off track. And know this: there is pure sanity in taking care of yourself.

What do do when people make shady compliments to you?

Gif courtesy of Tumblr

What’s the Goal Today?

6 Oct
How I feel every time I cross something off my to-do list...

How I feel every time I cross something off my to-do list…

Every week for the past couple of months, a friend and I meet up at a coffee shop to pow wow. We discuss what’s going on in our lives, be it work (even though we work together), love lives, travel plans, family, whatever. We encourage each other to pursue our goals and to keep up whatever good works we have going at the moment. But before we start the pow wow, we always ask each other: “What’s the goal today?”

This simple question can produce so many outcomes. Is the goal to write great posts for the blog? Is it to see what other opportunities are out there? Is the goal to research topics that have been floating around in my mind? Or is it just to piss around on the Internet and gossip with a friend?

Whatever the goal may be, it’s important to be reminded of their necessity. Even the short-term, temporary goals for that day need to be expressed so there won’t be any excuses to default on them. The desired achievement for that day could help inform what planned achievements for the future.

I like to keep a mental check list of both the short-term and long-term goals of the moment. For example, one of my short-term goals right now is to clean my apartment (I’ve told you how bad it can get). One of my long-term goals is to drop another 10-15 pounds in the next three months. And now that I’ve told you, I’m going to be held accountable.

Expressing your goals to someone else is only one way to keep your eyes on the prize. Here are a few more:

1. Vision board. The advent of Pinterest has made the paper vision board seem like a crime against nature (do you know how many trees you’re killing for your trip to Johannesburg?) But if you must keep a pictorial reminder of what it is you want out of life, a vision board is a good one to have. I have a friend who hangs hers up in the bathroom. You always have to got to the bathroom, and there you’ll find your daily reminder to get your isht together for that trip.

2. Goal outfits. When I began my weight-loss journey, one of my top goals was to stop buying larger sizes. I was a size 16 that would have fit better in an 18. But my pride (and my pockets) said, “Nah, girl!” So I just kept squeezing my wide behind in those too tight pants. I kept getting the mark around my belly that says your clothes are too tight. I kept getting that mark…until I didn’t. It was great the day I could just slip into my pants without busting out the jaws of life.

3. Things to-do. A to-do list can be the unsung hero of goal setting. I always have a list of groceries I have to buy. I keep a paper pad with a magnet on the back attached to my refrigerator. I don’t go to the store every day, but when I do, I know what I want and I don’t have to spend more than I should.

I’m human and to err is divine I will slip up and eat a bag of cookies instead of sliced fruit. I will splurge on a weekend of kicking it instead of saving for my next trip. But I will also recover, because mistakes are just the lessons we learn on our journeys toward reaching our goals.

What is your goal for today? How do you keep yourself on track?

Gif courtesy of Tumblr

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Injuries Abound

2 Oct
Even on concrete paths, still beware the branches.

Even on concrete paths, still beware the branches.

I’ve been running for about six years now. With the miles that I take on, I always say I could do a 10k on a Tuesday. My knee keeps me somewhat humble on my treks, but I can still get it in.

Aside from the IT band weirdness, I can gladly say I’ve been injury free. No twisted ankles, no broken limbs, no missing toenails (yes, that’s a thing). Those were all the things my runner friends told me to look out for.

Imagine my surprise when I found a new one: chafing.

Last weekend, I did a stupid thing and ran around the city for about 20 miles in a five-and-a-half hours. My hips hurt, my thighs burned and my knee was starting to get to me. At the end, all I craved was an ice bath followed by a warm shower. The ice bath did the trick and kept me from swelling. The warm shower was an amazing relief—until I began the actual washing process.

I’d been running around the city so long that my sports bra stopped being kind. Somewhere along the way, I’d rubbed off some skin on my underboob. Have you ever had to clean a wound on your underboob? Can you imagine awkwardness of putting Neosporin and a Band-Aid on an open wound there?

It was…weird, to say the least. Because this was something new, I polled my runner friends, none of whom were unfamiliar with this chafing phenomenon. No one thought it was a good idea to warn me about this crazy injury, either.

As a matter of fact, no one told me about any of the peculiar things that can happen to you as a runner. But since I’m in the business of offering readers a service, here are some things I’ve discovered can happen after you lace up your sneakers.

1. You can cut your chest with your keys and ID. My chafing injury wasn’t the first time I’ve had to bandage my boobs. Not long before that, I’d gone for a run in pocketless pants. I wasn’t going for a long run (about 4 miles), so I figured I’d be OK. Nah. My ID cards pinched my skin in such a way that I actually bled. Lesson learned: either only run in pants with pockets or stick my key and ID in my shoes.

2. Bugs have no chill. When you’re out for your jaunt, know that gnats and flies can and will get into your eyes, nose or mouth. You will gag and cough and likely want to throw up. Just get it out of your system, drink some water and take it slow. And swat away in front of you whenever you see a swarm.

3. Mowers are the enemy. It’s not so much of a problem in the late fall and winter, but during the spring and summer months you’ll have to contend with landscapers. They’re doing their jobs, so you can’t be too mad at them. But it will begin to seem that they only want to mow the grass during your time to run. I usually pull the neck of my shirt over my nose and mouth and try to hustle out of there quickly.

4. At some point, a cyclist will try to run you down. Depending on where you are, pathways can be quite narrow. One of the paths I run has a foot-and-a-half wide space for runners and a three-foot wide space for cyclists. Cyclists don’t like riding so close to one another, so they’re always in the running lane. You’re then forced into a game of chicken with the oncoming cyclist. If you’re in the appropriate lane, I say don’t move. Unless they’re distracted or yell that they can’t stop, the cyclist has to get out of your lane. Now, if you’re in the bike lane…um, good luck. Jokes aside, there is real danger in a collision. Please stay alert.

5. Beware the random twigs. Running on concrete affords you the luxury of avoiding branches and brambles. Sometimes, though, you need some fresh air. That’s where a good nature run comes in handy. Running on a beaten path can help you avoid critters like snakes (but not always, so be careful). It won’t, however, help you avoid falling tree limbs. Be mindful of the surface you’re running on. Nature runs are rife with unsteady rocks, unearthed roots and branches waiting to scratch and trip you up.

I’ve experienced all of these mishaps. None of them have kept me from hitting the ground running, but they did add a layer of precaution to my journeys. What’s the most interesting injury you’ve encountered on your weight-loss journey?

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I Did It: Your Own Way Race

29 Sep
It was like the decline of man.

It was like the decline of man.

“I Did It” is a feature on I’m Skinny, Now What? where I will tackle a new workout or diet and give you my opinion. Wish me luck, because I don’t like changing my routine.

I subscribe to the Well+Good email newsletters. It’s a great site that gives me tips on what new fitness studios are opening up, what’s in my favorite celebs fridge, etc. Last week, one of the newsletters pointed to a race happening the upcoming Saturday. It’s called Race the City (Your Own Way). Runners, roller bladers, cyclists, even drivers can participate.

It’s set up like a scavenger hunt. Instead of picking up clues at each location, you’re snapping selfies and posting them on Twitter or Instagram with a hashtag so the organizers can follow you. Nine locations were designated between 110th Street and Lower Manhattan. Participants didn’t find out the locations until race day. For those of you unfamiliar with New York, trust that it’s a pretty big distance, especially by foot.

So, race day comes and I get my map. It looked a little something like this.

Double-you Tee Eff!

What did I just get myself into? Still, I told myself I’d give it a shot, and it would make an interesting blog post. (I don’t just do this for me, I do it for you, too!)

At 8 a.m., the race started. My strategy was to head west to the Intrepid, go north, loop around and come back to Paragon Sports, which was the start and finish line. The beginning was fine because I was back in my element on the West Side. Getting to Strawberry Fields in Central Park wasn’t too bad, either. Traversing Central Park was a little tricky because the Global Citizen Festival would be held there that night, so barricades were everywhere.

Running to the the East Side was where things started going downhill. I’m a West Side girl. The East Side is foreign territory. That’s when Google Maps became my friend. I got to Gracie Mansion and thought, “This could be the end.” The city was starting to wake up, I’d been running for 2 hours and was in desperate need of hydration.

http://instagram.com/p/tc5tiYhbkM/

I’ve never run longer than an hour and a half. From that point on, it was a trudge to the finish. All along, I questioned my sanity. It was getting hotter. Every 17-ounce bottle of water seemed to disappear with the quickness. Every hill looked like a monster; every bus looked like an angel.

“Just hop on the bus, no one will know,” my subconscious whispered to me. But I’m no cheater, so onward I trudged.

After South Ferry, things got a little easier. I couldn’t run anymore because my knee was not prepared for the day’s mileage. But, walking from South Ferry to City Hall to the Arch and back to the store went by faster than anything else. Five and a half hours later, I was done. Yay?

What I learned

1. Bottles of water are much more expensive on the Upper East Side. I paid almost $2 for a 17-ounce bottle. It costs 75 cents at the bodega on the corner from me.
2. I have got to work on my hills. I’ve been running for a while, but I have been lax in doing hills. This race showed me I’ve got work to do.
3. Because I’ve been running for so long, certain injuries shouldn’t surprise me. No one warned me about the damage a sports bra can do. Ow!!
4. Last but not least: Read instructions carefully. And when you’re still confused, ask questions. I have a problem in that I’m kind of a know-it-all. If instructions seem simple enough, I’ll figure out the hard stuff. I didn’t understand how there was only one prize for all participants, especially if cyclists and roller bladers were in the same pool as the foot racers. Turns out you’re supposed to take “Your Own Way” literally. I could have taken the subway or the bus to all over the city. I could have even hailed a cab. Son of a …!

I ran/walked about 20 miles in five-and-a-half hours! I wasn’t so much angry when I found that out as I was upset that I didn’t know the rules. Plus, I was exhausted and in desperate need of an ice bath. So I just took my smelly behind, my $25 gift card and my new cup home.

Verdict

I’d do it again, because I got to see parts of the city I’d never seen before. But if I decide to participate next year, I’m riding a bike because this year’s winner was a cyclist.

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Rest and Relaxation Time

23 Sep
How you feel on rest day

How you feel on rest day

Beast mode is no joke. I’ve been in beast mode for three weeks (and lost eight pounds in the process—yay!). I let things get out of hand over the winter, spent the spring enjoying the anniversary of my birth and the summer—well, I don’t have any excuse for the summer.

However, I’m making up for it now. I have sweat more in the past few weeks than I have in ages. I’m working out five to six days a week for about an hour a day. And on the seventh day, I’m resting.

I’ve gotten to the point now where I look forward to my rest days more than anything else. Rest days are just as important as workout days. They are the days your body recovers from the punishment you are putting it through. Think of it this way: you don’t work seven days a week, do you? If you do, we have other things to discuss.

One of the benefits of rest days is you are being proactive in preventing injury. I’ve discussed before how I strained my IT band by running so much. Before my injury, I was running maybe five days a week. I’ve now cut down to two to three. I spread out the days between runs to give my knee the chance to recuperate, but I’ve still got a couple of other days I need to get my sweat on. So I use those days to challenge myself with a different form of exercise, be it spin class or even the elliptical machine. Over the past few weeks, my knee hasn’t hurt me once. I credit that to rest days.

When I take a rest day, I do nothing. Last week, I took my first break in six days. Because I had been working out so much, I had completely neglected my apartment, as I am wont to do. I had plans to use my day off sweeping, mopping, putting up clothes, buying groceries, spending time with my dog, etc. The only thing I did was spend time with my dog—and we slept and binge-watched Netflix.

Rest days remind to you to stop and smell the roses. You’ve done good things; you should take time to appreciate them. You’re not as winded when you take the stairs. That reheated black bean and rice recipe you tried tastes pretty good. And better yet, you don’t have to work out today. For 24 hours you can exist in chill mode with no worries. Doesn’t that sound nice?

I’m not just touting this because I’m a self-confessed bum who’d rather clear out her DVR. The American College of Sports Medicine agrees with me.

Rest is a critical component to any good workout routine and time spent allowing the body to recover is a great way to prevent injuries. A rest day must occur at least one to two times per week. Even small breaks during a workout are sometimes required to get the most out of the workout and prevent injuries.

You’ll do more good than harm to put the weights down for one day and rest. Go ahead, take a nap. Go to a movie. See the friends you’ve been neglecting while you tackle the beast. That’ll do you some good to.

What do you like to do on your rest days? What do you enjoy most about them?

gif courtesy of Tumblr

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