Getting the Extra Push

23 Mar
Courtesy of Greg Fisher

Courtesy of Mayor Greg Fischer

Last week, I told you about my BFF who completed the United NYC Half Marathon. Appreciative of the love, she returned it kind with a message on Facebook.

I should have posted that while Cicely calls me her hero, there have been plenty of moments in my running life where I’ve wanted to give it up. But, I knew she’d kill me and/or would never let me live it down. So, if it weren’t for her, my butt wouldn’t have made it to the start line Sunday (literally and figuratively). So thanks, Boo!

Sometimes, we all need someone to give us the extra push when we feel like giving up. Sometimes its a text to Beth, a quick word from my workout nanny or even a reminder from my dad that even though my weight-loss journey is traveled alone, I can’t just give up anytime I like.

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Courtesy of Mayor Greg Fischer

That’s why I almost teared up at the story of Asia Ford, who ran the Rodes City Run 10k in Louisville, Ky., over the weekend. Asia made the mistake that runners have been making since…forever. She forgot to eat before the start and nearly conked out at mile 4. With the pace car behind her, she struggled to keep going until her son and a police officer took her by the hands and helped her on her way. Asia finished the race in two hours seven minutes.

Running is nothing if not a community. If you’re looking, you don’t have to search hard to find a running group. The organization Black Girls Run has memberships across the country. Just in New York, there are groups by neighborhoods.

Beyond that, there’s a sense of belonging even when out by yourself. When I dropped Beth off at the race last week, I ran home in solidarity. It was a little after 7 a.m. and the sun hadn’t quite risen yet. But I knew there would be a troupe of runners along the path with me. You tend to see the same faces on your morning run. You’ll notice the same physical strains you had when observing a newbie. You’ll try to keep pace with that one guy who always passes you by.

Asia posted to Facebook several “before” photos of her and friends excited to hit the trail. But it’s the photo of her finishing with her son and the police officer by her side that show what this community is made of. We are a group of competitive people who are ready to cheer on another runner because we know how hard it is to keep going.

So, cheers to you Asia Ford for keeping it moving even when you thought you couldn’t. And double cheers to your son and new friend Lt. Aubrey Gregory for not letting her give up on her goal of finishing.

This 6.2 miles meant more to me than any race ever so my message today is, You don’t have to be 1st, AS LONG AS U DON’T GIVE UP AND U FINISH…YOU ARE A WINNER~Asia Ford

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Girl Scout Cookie Monster

20 Mar
This is just four of the 1,000 boxes of cookies one girl sold this year. These aren't mine.

This is just four of the 1,000 boxes of cookies one girl sold this year. These aren’t mine.

A couple of months ago, you probably saw it. Someone in your office sent out a group-wide memo that their little angel has cookies to sell. But this isn’t just any bake sale. This is the sale to end all sales. Ladies and gents, it’s cookie time.

Courtesy of Tumblr

Courtesy of Tumblr

When I was a kid, I was a Girl Scout. For much longer than most people, I donned stiff polyester uniforms and sashes. I went camping, learned the Girl Scout Promise and paid my dues (literally—we had to drop a few dimes in the bucket at every meeting).

At the beginning of every year, every girl got a sell sheet with a list of your favorites (Trefoils, Tagalongs, Thin Mints) and a few controversial confections (I love Samoas). Once upon a time, girls would stroll door to door to make a sale. I wasn’t one of those girls. My parents pawned my wares at work. At the end of the sale period, I…um, my parents always sold at least 300 boxes.

It never fails that someone’s eyes will be exponentially larger than their stomach. They’ll order like 12 boxes and plan on spreading them out through the year. The cookies do freeze well. But Girl Scout cookies are like Pringles: once its open, the contents are gone within the hour. Now you’re craving more.

Courtesy of Tumblr

Courtesy of Tumblr

If you’re the person who was tempted by site of the familiar goodness, here are few tips to avoid becoming the cookie monster.

Give them away as gifts. Let’s be real: no one needs to eat a dozen boxes of cookies. And since they’re an annual treat, why not gift them to someone who forgot to sign up? You’ll make a new friend and spread the calories around. It’s a win-win.

Make them community property. If you bought yours from a co-worker, chances are said co-worker will deliver them at your job. If your job is anything like mine, bags of chips, cookies and candy are free game if left on a community space. Make your cookie drop off the new watercooler. Discuss the finale of “Empire” (#TeamCookie) over a bite of Thin Mints. Just be sure to grab your cup of coffee to cut back on the sweetness.

Taste tests. If you’re the person who likes to order the new cookie just to be different, start a taste test with co-workers or friends. We occasionally do this at my job where someone will buy a new flavored treat and leave a sheet of paper next to it where people can approve or disapprove. Now you’ve gotten rid of a box of cookies you probably didn’t like and you’ve had some fun. Nailed it!

Fill up the freezer. If there are still a few morsels that you want to keep for yourself, the back of your freezer is your pal. Put them behind that giant back of frozen chicken breasts you’ll never cook. Stick them under the frozen Brussels sprouts that have been crowding your space forever. Out of sight, out of mind. And when you get a craving and start ravaging your cabinets and refrigerator, you’ll be in for a welcome surprise. Score!

What do you do with the abundance of cookies surrounding you this time of year? Which one is your favorite?

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My Friend the Half Marathoner

18 Mar

Did I ever tell you I had a twin? My dad, who’s probably reading this right now, is just now finding out about this himself.

Her skin is much lighter, as are her eyes. She was born 339,840 minutes before me. She likes to say she was slathered in the SPF while my melanin-rich skin absorbed the benefits of Vitamin D.

ussies_halfThis is Beth. Obviously we’re not identical. We are, however, each other’s spiritual twins. We bonded over a love of journalism and a strong disdain for idiocy. For the past 15 years, we’ve been each other’s rocks during some pretty awful times. And although we haven’t lived in the same city since we were 22, we have remained ridiculously close. Which was why there was no question that she would stay with me last weekend while she was in town for the United Airlines NYC Half marathon.

Neither Beth nor I were runners in our younger days. It’s just something we picked up, her before me. So when I began pounding the pavement, she was one of the people I turned to for advice. When I scratched up my boobs by putting my cards in my bra, she got the first text (and responded that she couldn’t stop laughing at me). When I finally ran three miles without stopping, she was the first person to say how proud she was of me. And when my knee began to act in its funky way, she was the one to suggest all the things I could do so I could continue on my path.

If she could do all that, then I could make sure she had everything she needed for her race. This was the first time she’d ever run in New York. Her visits usually involve a show, a new tourist-y site and food. We walk around the city long enough to build up an appetite before seeing a show.

Like most of us, she was nervous before the race. Racing can be stressful, especially when you’re dealing with unfamiliar terrain. When you run, you can stop at anytime and not feel like a failure. Races have a set goal in the end. You’re not done unless you cross the finish line. When you’re competitive like us, anything less is unacceptable.

The day of the race, we woke up at 5:30 in the morning (Lord, help us) to make sure she got to the starting line on time. First of all, waking up in the dark is not the business. We were early, so neither of us was happy about that extra half our of sleep we could have gotten. Second of all, it was cold as a polar bear’s balls that morning. The forecast said it would warm up, but the wind was so harsh that we couldn’t tell.

She's a winner!

She’s a winner!

Once the crowd started rolling in, I sent her on her way and ran the 100 blocks back to my apartment. My solidarity run had my fingers freezing, but it was only five miles and I just needed to suck it up. Beth did 13.1 miles in under two-and-a-half hours. My twin is my hero and deserves all the props.

A few tips before you set off running:

  1. When going preparing for a race, be it a 5K or a marathon, your best bet is to train. You’ll learn what your pace is, how to manage your breathing and what your endurance level is. There are books, magazines, websites and trainers in abundance who can get you ready in a matter of weeks for your race.
  2. Have a few race-day outfits at the ready if you’ll be running during a tricky weather season. New York just shoveled it’s way out of a month of snow, but the temps haven’t risen enough to know it’s almost spring.
  3. Know that hydration is key to keeping it moving. For longer races, you may need more than just hydration though. Beth keeps the squeezable applesauce packs on her belt for an energy boost. Race organizers will often have those as well as race gels.

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I Did It: Cycle for Survival

13 Mar

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

After the race a couple of weeks ago, you’d think I’d had enough. Ha!

But this wasn’t a race; it was a spin-a-thon for Cycle for Survival, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute’s annual fundraiser. This was my first year participating, but I didn’t anticipate too many problems. I a top student in my spin class, after all.

Aside from running, spin is my favorite workout activity. It is hard as hell, but I actually feel like I’m working muscles. I can feel different muscle groups tightening and stretching with each spin of the wheel. The added benefit is what I feel in my abs. What you don’t realize until your class is over is that you’ve actually had a pretty decent ab workout in the process. Positions 2 and 3 and especially hovering require a lot of balance that you can only get through an engaged core. It’s awesome.

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What I Learned

No two spin instructors are made alike. Nor should they be. However, I’d gotten used to a certain routine at my regular spin classes. Namely, I got used to putting in work. Because the instructors had to switch out every hour, I guess they didn’t want to go too hard on us. It’s not that I didn’t sweat, I just didn’t feel like I was working very hard.

If you’re new to spin, be sure to ask your instructor how they conduct the class. What are the different levels of resistance that they use? Some go one to four, some go one to 10, some just go soft, medium hard. It is on the student to gauge how hard they’re working, but don’t get caught thinking you’re in a 1-4 class when you’re really in a 1-10 and leave not feeling fulfilled.

Also remember that bike adjustments are essential. I am short with short legs, so my bike seat doesn’t need to sit exponentially high off the ground. I don’t have to clips, so I have to make sure my sneakers are secure in the toe cage. And always, always, always have a towel and water. Even if you’re not working that hard, you’re in a confined space with a bunch of people steaming with body heat. It’s gonna get hot.

Verdict

I love spin, so this was great for me. I hadn’t been in a few weeks, but I have worked out on the stationary bike at the gym. I didn’t train for it because we were divided into half-hour intervals. Still, I’d recommend it to anyone. It’s a great activity for an even greater cause. So get spinning!

Photos courtesy of my Workout Nanny

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Don’t Waist Your Time

11 Mar

cinderella

I grew up with boys. My rough-and-tumble childhood of wrestling, running and video games didn’t leave much room for dolls. I had stuffed animals, but I was never a big fan of Barbie dolls. I think it was the hard plastic. It just never did anything for me. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized how unrealistic her body shape was. A few years ago, Rehabs.com built an infographic showing what a life-size Barbie would look like.

When I began my weight-loss journey, I always had health in the forefront of my mind. But outside influences have a way of creeping in. I thought about some of the girls in music videos and in magazines. I wanted my hourglass figure to be a little more defined from its larger size. As the pounds began to fall off, I saw how small my waist was becoming. My bust and hips slimmed down at a slower rate, so my figure at times would look cartoonish. But I was okay with that.

For this reason, I can sympathize with Lily James, the new Cinderella in this weekend’s remake. Though she is much, much smaller than I am, I understand her irritation with the criticism of her body. Corsets are a thing. They cinch the waist in unbelievable ways. If she were just shown only in her corset and tights, you’d likely see bustle of the dress makes her waist seem even smaller. It’s not really her figure you’re looking at.

The beauty of undergarments is that they can give you the sillouette you’re looking for to fit any occasion. With a corset here, a push-up bra there and a pair of Spanx, you, too, can look like Cinderella or Barbie. You also won’t be able to breathe or eat. Thems the breaks.

Your idea of what you want to look like and the way you’re actually shaped are two things you’ll eventually have to come to terms with.  Once you’ve got a better understanding of how your body looks and moves, then you can outfit it. The human body has its limitations, and it will take time for you to find those.

The beauty of those limitations is you never know what they are until you hit them. It could be as simple as going an extra mile on your run, doing an extra lap at the pool or even taking another week off with no dairy. And after you’ve put in the extra, extra effort and you observe the physical results of that work, you’ll know that you’ve done all you can to achieve your goals.

So if your goal was to have Cinderella’s waist or Barbie’s thighs, good luck to you. But know that achieving that goal may not be what’s right for your body.

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