food sugar

The 2020 Survival Kit

“Just go breathe”, thanks Captain Obvious, do you really think some meditation will help with my stress? During 2020, I woke up every morning with a plan to focus on healthy habits, but after a couple emails or news alerts the meditation minutes became an opportunity to repeat obscenities. 

Just like many people, COVID has taken a toll on my mental health and physical health.  The past couple of months were a tipping point for my stress, and getting the advice to just meditate and breathe was like a turn on switch for my stress. I am unique, stress is subjective and what works for one person might not work for me. 

Last year I was running a 50 Mile Ultra Marathon on the 8th anniversary of MS diagnosis, and this year I was spending time in multiple doctors’ offices trying to figure out how to walk again. It has been a long slow painful road to getting my legs back this year and rediscovering a new path to a healthy lifestyle was more challenging than training for a 50 Miler.

Completing a marathon or ultra marathon is wonderful, but it’s a selfish gift to myself. Living with a chronic disease is my real greatest accomplishment, and not finding the healthiest version of me has a domino effect on everything that I love. If I can’t get out of bed, my family suffers. If a flare up is serious, I can’t work. Living with a chronic disease is basically walking around with a ticking time bomb. Honestly, everyone’s health is a ticking time bomb, but people living with chronic disease are just more aware of their delicate fuse. 

How did I fall so fast? A healthy body is not a guarantee, and finding a way to navigate is the key to staying healthy. What worked in 2013 isn’t going to work in 2020, and daily reminders that it wasn’t working were only making it worse. 

The good news is that I am feeling better, and have found a way to stay accountable to my body. My MRI is scheduled for January and I am staying on plan for the remainder of 2020.

Here’s my survival kit for the remainder of 2020 :

Acceptance

I stopped waiting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and just adjusted to living in the tunnel. This might sound negative, but for anyone who has had a difficult road gets this. Stressors are not going to magically disappear at a convenient timeline to manage my health. I need to manage my health first and adjust my eyes to the dark tunnel. I won’t be angry when I am reminded of a time that I was faster, fitter, and happier. I will celebrate the journey and embrace the change. I will be the best me, today.

Goals

The concept of setting goals did not change in 2020. When I made the decision to manage my health, lifestyle setting goals were key, but I had more bandwidth to be intense when I first started setting them. Now the goals look very different. I am not as restrictive with my plan. I celebrate a little more frequently, and have lowered the bar without compromising the results.

My Community

Meeting a friend for a cup of tea at a cafe and laughing until we were kicked out was one of those pre-COVID activities I miss the most. Things have changed, but this is an opportunity to learn and grow from the people in my life. One of my favorite “new experiences” was a Kundalini Yoga class I joined during this unprecedented time. I am excited to grow my remote world and try new things.

I have also embraced my old community. I have been quarantined with my husband at it’s like we’re 18 again when we first met. In the beginning of our relationship we played Tavli (Backgammon) for hours, like Greek sailors. Now, the board is out, and I am much better. I am excited to play together at home and eventually on the beaches of Greece. 

Planning for after COVID

The pandemic will end and I will be ready. I am researching trips and new experiences that will be around in 2021. Things will be different, I will be different, but that difference is nothing but exciting. I am not going to be sad for what I have lost in the past year, but I am going to be hopeful because of how much I learned. 

I am confident that the next time I get on an airplane I won’t complain about the dinner being served, the leg room, or the movie options. I will only be excited about the destination and the people in my life. Being different is a gift.

Ask for help 

My middle name should be TMI. I have no filter and am completely transparent. It was a trait that developed twofold after I embraced my MS diagnosis. I discovered that pretending my life was perfect lead to more stress. The people who run away from the rawest version of me are not the people I want in my life. I am not needy, but I will look for any guidance and growth from anyone. I am a student of life and that means my teachers are everyone and every where. 

Be ready to pivot

If the same actions are not working be ready to be different. I have learned that complacency is a cinder block tied to my waist when I am trying to swim. I will always be ready to pivot and grow during this crazy time.  That does not mean closing doors, but finding new ways to open them. Life is too short to be angry.

Letting go of anger

This one is tough and doesn’t happen overnight. I am not a master of this skill, but I consider it a work in progress. I aspire to be a little better each day, and if I focus on everything other than my anger this will naturally follow.

Everyone needs to find their own way to manage their inner ticking time bomb. Embrace today as a gift that can all be an opportunity to celebrate the simple things in life. Going for a run and having a stranger start a conversation because he likes my shirt is a small gift. Decorating a Christmas tree with my three adult daughters was a special moment. Taking a nap in a warm cozy bed on a rainy day is wonderful.

Things are different and that will best thing that comes out of 2020.

Working for women but managed by men

When I was hired by a large weight loss franchise five years ago, to “empower women through body transformation”, I was desperate. My oldest daughter was about to start college and we needed the regular income. I was 40 pounds heavier than I am today, but the commute was convenient.  Who knew that this one job would change the trajectory of my life and health.

Corporate orientation should have made me pack my bags and call Gloria Steinman, but instead, I sat for a week trying to memorize a sales script that made me want to wash my mouth out with soap and relinquish my ovaries.

Make them cry.

Remind them how their clothes don’t fit.

Show them a BMI chart and point to obese.

Don’t accept everyone into the program.

The best part of orientation was the final day. I sat for HOURS waiting for the CEO/Founder to come in and repeat the mission statement about “empowering” women.  While I sat waiting, I unexpectedly got my period.  This is a company designed for women, yet in their corporate office (run only by men), there was not one tampon in sight or out of sight. Trust me, I looked but there was no one to ask.

After being coached on how to speak to my sisters about body image and women’s health, by men with no degree in health or psychology, I had to march across corporate headquarters with my period and get a picture for their internal marketing.  I will give all corporate men a little heads up: when a woman gets her period unexpectedly, don’t take a photo.  My advice is to politely end the meeting and send people on their way.

And so my job began. I tried their sales pitch and it worked. Ladies handed me their credit card and I charged it up to $4,000 with that script.  After a few weeks, I did notice a trend and not a positive one. They regretted their choice and wanted their money back, but we had to force them to sign a “no money back” guarantee.

It felt wrong and I finally dumped the sales script and started to find my own voice and tweaked their program.  I worked hard to find the perfect plan for my sisters and followed it with my own results. I did like the weigh-ins and focus on results but dumped their product pushing and focused on real food with their family. I dropped weight with my clients.  I continually adjusted the program after LISTENING to my sisters, hearing their requests, and ignoring the corporate plan.

I was constantly in trouble for not following the corporate script or selling their nutrition and weight loss products.

Secret shoppers sent from the franchise were randomly checking in to grade my performance.  I failed when it came to following their strict rules, but was managing to exceed their revenue goals.

My loyalty went to my new sisters, my clients, and there was no way I would offend them by following that script or peddling unnecessary products. My plan worked, and women wanted to stay with the program and started sending their friends our way.

I never asked my clients to do something that I was unwilling to embrace personally. Why should they do it if I wouldn’t? So, when corporate forced managers to recruit clients for “transformation” pictures, I stepped in front of the lens. It was so hard to be naked with my story and let those men use my image.  They continue to use my image, words, and life with misleading information, even after they stopped signing my paycheck.

First, I would like to thank the founder for empowering me with their current advertising. I am feeling so empowered that I would like to share the sales script I currently use that helps so many of my clients maintain their healthiest, happiest weight.

First, I would like to thank the founder for empowering my transformation.

You are beautiful! 

Don’t do this to look better, just go spend your money on a new wardrobe if it is about appearance. 

Take the first step because you want to live longer and feel better. 

Eat real food and do safe workouts. 

Don’t allow anyone to body shame you, because we are all gorgeous at any shape or size.

I thought I was beautiful when I weighed 40 more pounds.

Our value is not determined by the size of our jeans, however, we need to listen to our body.

Do this because you want a front seat as a spectator in your families lives. 

Don’t do this for any man!

 

Tips for traveling

Going on vacation and traveling for work is the downfall for anyone trying to develop healthy habits.Unless you are planning to never travel it is important to create a plan that works. I have couple hard fast rules for success on the road.

 

My travel bag always includes snack packs of almonds, a bag of clementines, peanut butter or almond butter

If you travel on a plane just purchase Justin Almond Butter Packets. Security threw away my un-opened almond butter.

Purchase 16 oz of water before you get to the airport. Make sure you finish the bottle before you board the plane and refill it every two hours on the flight.  You will have 32 oz of water completed before you exit the plane for a two-hour flight.  When you get off the plane don’t stop drinking.  Make sure you refill that bottle 2 more times.

If you travel by car, just grab a cooler and fill it with these yummies pictured above. Don’t forget the travel utensils. I would also add some prepared foods. Any of the recipes will travel well.  
If you are on the road and need a grab and go here are some good options

You can purchase these goodies at any supermarket and leave it in the fridge or cooler

http://www.egglandsbest.com/product/hard-cooked-peeled-eggs/

Turkey Breast sliced thick with prepared green vegetables. My favorite is roasted brussels sprouts at Whole Foods.   

How to order at emergency restaurant stops

Subway or any deli- My advice for any unsuspecting Subway patron.  Don’t do the salad. It is a scary adventure that is not worth repeating.  Order a sub with double protein and skip the bread.  You can add mustard. When I ordered my first sub without bread the butcher asked if I was from California, that is always a good sign.

Starbucks- Feta Cheese Wrap and skip the wrap

Boston Market – 1/2 a chicken with a double order of vegetables.

If you are stuck going to a pizza place because you are traveling with your kid’s sports team, don’t go in hungry with pizza and salad as your only option.  Try and add an order of chicken wings(not fried) to the order.  I have found that it is always a big hit at these team dinners.  
Don’t be manipulated by great marketing.  If something says “high protein” or “low fat” don’t fall for it.  Just grab your 200 calorie bag of almonds, peanut butter on a spoon or almond butter packets.

Cheats

If you see something delicious on a menu…order it and enjoy it. Don’t go on vacation and have a Snickers bar.  Just make sure you get back to the plan ASAP.

My travel workout.

I created this go-to travel workout because of my short-term attention span.  It takes me about 40 minutes.  You can add some extra minutes to the cardio if you want a little more of a challenge.

 

Run/Walk on a treadmill(on a scale of 1-10 it should feel like a 7) 5 minutes

20 pushups

20 air squats(make 10 of them jump squats for an advanced workout)

20 situps

20 lunges(10 on each leg)

Rinse and Repeat 4x (or more if you are feeling motivated)

Training for the Philadelphia Marathon

My first marathon was an impulsive decision I made in my 20’s before my frontal lobe was fully developed. Since that first marathon, I have run a total of 5 marathons and was celebrating a conscious uncoupling from marathons for the past 10 years.

The first time I ran a marathon

  • iPhones did not exist
  • Texting was fancy
  • I listened to music on an MP3 (because the iPod was a passing fad)
  • I had 2 weeks to train.

I was a young mom with three babies, 4-years old and under. I had survived three high-risk pregnancies with three healthy girls and was a trainer in a gym. I was living the miracle and felt a little invincible.

I had two weeks to train. I had no idea I was even on Heartbreak Hill during the marathon.  I decided that when you are not running really fast it does not matter as much. I did not know how many miles was in an actual marathon.  There was no “search engine” to fully understand what a marathon entails. My training was a 9 mile run the weekend before and a chat with an experienced runner on the bus ride to Hopkinton. That bus ride probably saved me a trip to the hospital that day.  Who knew those water stations were important?

Currently, at 44 my life and legs have changed.  My girls are calling me excited about their college classes.  My father is not available to get nervous about my crazy life choices. And, my life has helped prepare me for this marathon.   I made the decision to run this time for, Cal, my running motivation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqvZabxJHqs

The training was going great until July. I had to take a month off because of weakness in my left leg and the summer heat.  Today I finally felt strong enough to run a solid distance.  It takes a lot of planning for me to run that distance, now.  I don’t understand how my body works but with a fully developed frontal lobe, I am very careful.

I decided to add caffeine to my life again and only drink one cup of tea before my run. I am still intermittent fasting which means it has to be timed perfectly in the day.  I am trying to add more yoga to my schedule. Today I crushed my 10 miles in under 90 minutes and was able to work a full day, walk the dogs, bathe the dogs, fold laundry and clean my house(“clean” might be a generous description of my house..cleaner is more appropriate).

I am thrilled that I hit my goal this morning and I am ready for next week. My goal is 11 miles.

 

 

A day in the life of a sugar addict and health and wellness coach.

“I have been eating your turkey chili for years and haven’t lost any weight.”

“I stopped eating bananas and my weight still goes up.”

…and this is why I don’t love sitting down and doing one nutrition session.  People usually pick and chose advice and get frustrated with the results.  Personally, I eat bananas and I don’t just eat turkey chili, but I am cautious with my sugar even from fruit and I enjoy my turkey chili.  I create recipes by looking on the internet and modifying them to fit in my plan. Success is not about one recipe or one piece of advice. Success is all about habits and lifestyle.

So, I thought I would review a day of eating on the road when I don’t have time to cook and I am not super careful. Currently, I am intermitting fasting with means I only eat for 8 hours in the day.

The day starts with herbal tea and water because I gave up caffeine…. I am not sure if this is a keeper but I am trying life without caffeine for 28 days.

11:30 My husband bought me donuts because we happened to be in a town with a 5-star donut shop. I have a donut shop yelp rule because I really love donuts. I had one bite of chocolate donut and one bite of coconut donut and hid the rest in his car.

I drank 3 bottles of 16 oz of water

1:00 We stopped off at a new restaurant in an unfamiliar town.  I ate steak tips with a side of steamed broccoli and a baked potato.

7:00 pm and I am home. I make my favorite breakfast while I eat a freshly picked apple.  I cooked my sugar-free bacon in a cast iron skillet.  I used the bacon grease to saute kale.  I cooked two eggs in the kale and covered the eggs with 1/4 of an avocado.

I bought my daughter some wonton soup because she had a nasty cough. I ate her soup broth with all the greens.

I thought about waking up my husband and asking if he knew where the rest of the donuts were but I stopped myself.

I drank at least 3 more bottles of 16 oz of water.