Cereal, a running update from myself, and a reminder to laugh.
The days are starting to feel longer, the sun is coming out more, and where I live this winter has been mild (at times warm!). Our February weather has felt more like April or May and it’s tricking my brain to feel like we actually are in those months. As someone who is especially looking forward to summer this year (or at least May), realizing it is only the last few days of February hurts. Although, I also feel sad that I am wishing the days away because March is one of my favorite months, and this March, I turn 30! I don’t feel like I am young enough anymore where I can wish days away and think “I still have my whole life ahead of me” and really, I wouldn’t advise a young person to do that anyways. So the question I keep coming back to is how can I enjoy these days? How can I make them a little less hard because my life is happening now and I don’t want to be wishing them away so much?
My answer? Make the hard feel small.
What do I mean by this? Find things beyond the hard stuff that you can do everyday or look forward to that make the hard just a small part of your life. Whether thats exercising every day, reading a book, taking a nap, booking a vacation or a massage, planning time to spend with family and friends or starting a project that excites you.
What feels exciting to you that you can add to your life beyond the hard stuff?
So when you’re in the hard you can think, “I just got to get it done or get through this day and then I can ___!” or “this is just a small part of my life right now, I also have __.”
My hope is that by making the hard feel small and growing my excitement with things beyond the hard, I will stop wishing time away as quickly, my mood will increase, and I will have the power to know that I can and I will get through the hard. If you’re in the hard too, whatever that may be, let’s do this together.
Let’s talk about cereal because it’s cerealsy ggrrEAT! (Did you catch both puns?)
In all seriousness, if you are like me, you walk by the cereal isle in the grocery store and think “eating cereal would be fun” but have that stupid diet culture voice in the back of your head saying “fruits and vegetables are better!” and you continue to walk away in sadness and strengthen that diet voice in your head. It’s time to stop listening to that diet voice and refer to Kelsey Pontius, Registered Dietician and Certified Specialist of Sports Dietetics, as well as 2x Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier. On her business website, Meteor Nutrition, she has a “Cereal Guide for Athletes”. (Yes, cereal can actually fit into a “heart healthy diet!” - I think that’s my second cereal related phrase)
Kelsey discusses why athletes love cereal:
“Many athles love cereal, not only because it is convenient and versatile, but also because cereal can serve different functions for both pre-workout and post -workout meals. Some types of cereal before a workout provides quick energy to fuel your muscles. Other types of cereal are better suited for post-workout or as a smart snack”
Kelsey discusses, what are the benefit of cereal?
Portable
Quick and easy
Affordable
Fortified with vitamins and minerals needed for athletes (calcium, folate, iron) .
Iron is a mineral that supplies oxygen to the cells. Due to rigorous exercise, iron deficiency is common in athletes. Iron deficiency can cause fatique and negatively affect performance. Many brands of cereal are fortified with iron.
Contains an adequate amount of fiber which promotes digestion.
Increase fiber slowly in your diet to minimize bloating or cramping that may occur. It is also important to increase your intake of fluids as you add fiber because fiber tends to hold water.
Can fuel different stages of workouts (pre-workout, post-workout, recovery, smart snacks).
Simple carbs provide the body with a quick source of energy.
Kelsey then continues on to talk about what athletes should look for when picking out a cereal and gives some examples, tips, and recipes! If you’re interested, check out the cereal guide!
Don’t let the diet talk win! All foods can fit into your diet. Cereasly, it’s ggrrrrEAT! (too much?)
I thought I would give an update on my running this week. My next “race” planned is the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon in June. I put the word “race” in quotations because I am not quite sure it will be a race like I wish it would. I’m competitive and want to be back running like I once was, but in the last few years my times have only seemed to slow down and it is FRUSTRATING. Believe me, just yesterday I came into the house after my run and just about cried and on my long run, I was ready to quit.
Sure, some people may say “it sounds like you need a break” but let me tell you, I still love it. I still love the feeling I get in my body after a run and the feeling I have knowing I can run. I still have hope that one day my breakthrough will come again, and I still have the motivation to get out there and try.
I am pretty sure that stress is having a huge impact on my body and that is why I seem to be really struggling. My body is often in flight or flight mode, I consistently feel tired, heavy, and worn down. I’m emotional. I’m tense. It doesn’t feel good (don’t worry, I am getting help!). In this season of life, I am trying to manage it the best I can and keep my head up to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So, I’m running less and training myself for the Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon in June. No intense training plan, just trying to do what feels good for me. I’m letting myself start training and see how my body adapts. If it doesn’t seem to be going well, I am going to slow down, train for the distance, and just do what feels right on that day, knowing that running fast can still happen in the future. Harder said than done (so much harder). As Keira D’Amato’s coach said, “the sun came up this morning, today is a new day and soon enough there will be another race.” Best case scenario, I am feeling fast and can confidently go for it (or at least a personal best!). We’ll see what happens, but for now, I at least have to try.
If you’re a runner and you don’t follow Laura Green, this is your sign to do it! Also, Green is not her actual last name which is hilarious in itself. (Especially when you start viewing her content and get her vibe.) I’ll admit, I am late to the game in discovering her and I do not know much about her but in the last couple weeks I have purposely seeked her out to watch her content.
She is hilarious.
Just this last week she shared this video, which had me LOL’ing for real (do people still say that?). Anyways, the point, other than to follow her is to laugh. There’s not a time that I look back when I’ve been feeling down in the dumps and laughing hasn’t lifted my mood, even just the tiniest bit. So this is your sign, find something to laugh about today. Sometimes life’s to serious and we all need a laugh to break the cycle and see the light a little bit more.
Cheers to laughing,