I Love Food

I love food.  A lot.

I’m that crazy girl at the restaurant (and in my apartment and at work and in my car) that likes to take pictures of her food.  Go ahead, judge me.

This blog post actually centers around a few big lessons I’ve learned for myself related to nutrition in the last 2.5 years, rather than anything overly physiological – like what’s good for your body and why – because while I think that’s really, super duper, awesomely important, there are others far more qualified than I am to give you that information.  Like these people.

As for my life lessons…

1. Food Affects Your Body…
   Ok, I know that seems super obvious, but for a really long time, I perceived food as being something that made you either fat or skinny.  Food X had a specific fat/caloric content, and if it was less than that of Food Y, it was better for you.  I perceived nutrition and food in a really linear format without taking into consideration the much bigger context of the physiological processes involved.

2. Weight is often the wrong variable to measure success…

Weight is just a number – and not one that I really care all that much about, but let’s be real, most people embarking on nutritional change are motivated at least in part by the hope of weight loss.  I certainly was 2.5 years ago when I began introducing shifts in my nutrition and dabbling in the world of paleo.  I lost weight.  And I dropped a pants size or two.  And then I gained weight.  And I dropped another pants size…even though I gained weight (people aren't lying when they say muscle weighs more than fat).  Weight is such a misleading indicator of fitness.  Plus…it’s not the only indicator of health.  People encounter a range of positive outcomes from good nutrition – what a shame to overlook them simply because the number on the scale didn’t reflect what you had hoped it might.  If you see big changes in your mood/pants size/energy, enjoy them!

3. Eating healthy does not have to be a ton of work…

I’m sort of lazy in the kitchen, I’m not going to lie.  I don’t really mind cooking, in fact I enjoy it, but I tend to only enjoy it in so far as it’s fast and fun and yields something yummy.

I’m not getting up a early to make a gourmet breakfast – dude, who has time for that!?  Currently, my favorite breakfast  = 1 hard-boiled egg, a tonnnnnn of grape tomatoes, a few leaves of purple basil, ½ avocado.  The entire meal requires less than 2 minutes of active prep…yes, I’ve timed myself.

World's easiest breakfast.  Ever...

4. Eating healthy doesn’t have to feel like constant deprivation…

…and if it does, you’re probably setting yourself up for failure.  Salmon and sautéed veggies?  Steak off the grill?  Baby arugula with shrimp, tomatoes, chopped peppers and onions, a few scoops of guac and a fresh lime?  Yes please!

And all of it requires seriously less than 20 minutes of active prep work (well, except the steak maybe, but grilling is a fun activity in and of itself, so no complaining allowed about that).

5. Change is hard…

In some ways this is probably the most important point, but there’s also relatively little to say that’s profound in any way.  It’s not going to be easy all the time…believe in the changes you're making and the why behind them and find a community that you can identify with.  Making change is hard – doing it in isolation strikes me as near impossible.

6. Don’t be too prescriptive…

“Is this paleo?”  “Is that paleo?”  “Oooooh, I can’t have that, it’s not paleo.”  Paleo provides a great set of guidelines for me, and I try put them into action an awful lot of the time…but, as I learned early on, while an apple and almond butter are both technically paleo, putting them together with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a drizzle of honey (yummmmmm!) as a late night snack sort of misses the intention of introducing changes to your eating habits.  It’s not to say that you shouldn’t ever do that – just bear in mind what you’re ultimately striving for and what will help you meet that end.

I’ll also admit here, sometimes I drink milk.  It’s not paleo but I have experimented in giving up milk for extended periods of time as well as including it in my diet – the difference is subtle, if present at all, and so while not paleo, yeah, every once in a while, I have a glass of milk.  And I like it.

7. It is ok to cheat…

A Whole9 blog post once so perfectly captured a sense I had long been attempting to articulate regarding emotional value of food... “Some foods hold a significance that far exceeds the sum of its vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. That kind of food should be honored, savored and shared in the company of those you love."  When you “cheat” make it a choice and make it a choice that’s worth it.

8. Be adventurous...I mean it when I say my life is full of accidental adventures.  Dinner is no exception and often finds me staring into my refrigerator trying to figure out how I’m going to throw together whatever remains to make a decent meal – left over salmon rolled into thinly sliced zucchini = impromptu paleo sushi.  Be open to new foods and your changing taste buds, two years ago I turned an old boyfriend onto Brussels sprouts after he assured me repeatedly that he didn’t like them (and don't worry - I didn't let him forget that I was right!).  I didn’t used to like bacon…shocking, I know, as I now often have to cut myself off from its savory goodness.

9. It’s ok to like food and be hungry and eat more than a boy (I often do)…

That’s not a concept with which I was previously comfortable…I wanted to be dainty and a light eater once upon a time.  My perception of food and why I eat it and my knowledge of how it influences my body absolutely destroyed any residual anxiety I once had about the appropriate amount to eat.  While my parents were in town recently, I think we actually reached a point at which they were making fun of me (in a totally awesome and great and loving way) because of the frequency with which I could be overheard saying, “Wow…I’m really hungry already again.”

This list really only captures a small portion of what I’ve really learned, much of which is intangible and hard to describe…but it’s real and it’s been liberating to be able to enjoy food the way my body was intended to and to feel really good about it.

If you have any interest in learning more about paleo or the Whole9 get yourself tickets to attend their workshop – they’ll be in DC in a few weeks.  Maybe you’ll walk away and be floored by the information, ready to change your nutrition.  Maybe not.  If nothing else, you’ll be better informed.  Aaaaand…as far as I can tell, Dallas Hartwig is pretty easy on the eyes, so you’ll be spending your day listening to someone handsome talk about something awesome (but I would avoid using that as a justification to convince your boyfriend, juuuust saying).

Burpees for Danny

Monday night found me face down on the floor of CrossFit South Arlington (CFSA) midway through 9 minutes of non-stop burpees. Ooooooh, burpees…in the world of a crossfitter, it doesn’t get much worse than burpees.

In the world of a pretty cool 9-year-old boy it does. Try brain cancer. Suddenly complaining about burpees seems fairly insignificant when stacked up against a few rounds of chemo, brain scans, and hours of therapy.

A short time ago an all-around good guy and athlete at CFSA, Mike Kelly, asked if an evening class would be willing to wear wrist bands during the WoD (workout of the day) to support his 9-year-old cousin, Danny, who has brain cancer and then pose for a group picture to send as encouragement. No doubt, the picture was a success.

My wrist band from the CFSA Burpees for Danny Event

The enthusiasm around Mike’s cousin and his story grew, reaching a new level of crossfit-enthusiasm when CFSA’s owner, Siddharth Sawkar, offered a donation from CFSA of $0.09 for every burpee completed during a 9 minute AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) for Mike's 9-year-old cousin during all six Monday classes. Like I said, crossfitters realllllly don’t like burpees – but people came out in droves for the event. And it wasn’t just the athletes from CFSA that showed up. Crossfitters from area gyms and non-crossfitters alike came to show their support.  Several athletes participated in multiple classes, many matched CFSA’s donations for their own burpees.

In total, 11,293 burpees were accounted for at the end of the evening Monday – with counts still rolling in from athletes on vacation in the Bahamas and participating from around the country. Donations are still accruing to help Danny’s family cover the expenses of therapy and intervention, much of which is not covered by insurance.

I don’t know that I can appropriately capture what it really is that appeals to me about crossfit in one simple blog post, so expect to see more attempts at this in the future. What I do know is that Monday night gave me a glimpse of it in action. A group of people connected almost exclusively through a series of area crossfit gyms came together to support a cause that mattered to a member in the community – and that was enough to make it matter to everyone else.  The same level of support was apparent last Saturday at Crossfit DC during a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society...it was an event of personal importance to one person, and a community came together around her because of it.

No doubt, it doesn't take a crossfit gym to hold a fundraiser for a great cause and for a great kid.  But there's something special in the team that forms from a community of athletes pushing beyond physical exhaustion with the hopes of making things even just a little bit better for someone facing a lot more than 9 minutes of burpees.

Back At It…

It’s been a long time since my last post. A really, really long time.

Sometime late this winter, I found myself feeling unmotivated, even uninspired, to write…and so I didn’t. I would hate for an outlet that has provided an opportunity for processing, self-reflection, honesty, and support from so many to become forced and false. There is a natural waxing and waning of energy and mood, it seems the same holds true in my writing…and while late winter and spring provided many moments of adventure in my everyday life, and also adventures and trips less common, I encountered moments that lacked focus or direction. In the purely physical sense, there were moments in which I found my jeans were getting tighter, my arms less defined, my progress plateaued – and I wasn’t all that sure I cared sometimes. I suspect my internal well-being followed much of the same up and down contour. I also suspect much of this is normal for any given person at any given point in life.

In a more ideal world, the waning of energy and intensity would be something I could better coordinate with respite and recuperation, and while I found instances of this, sometimes it was more by chance than intent…apparently, this is a skill in my repertoire that continues to be under development, but I suppose that’s exactly what my adventures are about: creating the person I want to be and the life I want to live.

And so, as I continue to create, I focus on the positive and fun challenges and changes ahead and simultaneously find myself seeking routines of comfort, long-standing habits that I fell away from, either by choice or out of convenience, but which have served me well before in being the person I want to be and in creating the life I want for myself.

I'm looking forward to the adventures Summer 2013 holds and I'm looking forward to sharing it with the people that have been there through the adventures of the last year once again!

Goals and Good Friends

A commitment to health and wellness is enthusiastically embraced by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) where I work as the Resource Manager of Multicultural Affairs.  ASHA is frequently recognized for its award-winning workplace wellness programs.  Janet McNichol, ASHA's Director of Human Resources, plays a critical role in ASHA's wellness initiatives.  Many ASHA employees are about to embark on a nutritional program centered around the Sonoma Diet and Janet asked me, along with other ASHA-staff, to write guest posts for her blog.  Check out additional posts by Janet and other ASHA employees and friends at inside workplace wellness.

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Two years ago, I embarked on a series of slow and steady changes in my diet, my fitness, my lifestyle.  When I started, my goal was simple - lose weight, look better in my swimsuit come summer, find a pair of jeans that looked great.  And don't get me wrong, I still want most of those things, but in the last two years, the focus on my immediate goal of shedding a few pounds and finding a cute bikini shifted to a focus on health, personal growth, and improvement.  It continues to be a work in progress, an evolution.

After two years, I still struggle sometimes, but what I hope to provide here is some knowledge and insight as to how, through the ups and downs, I stay on track in the big picture.  I lean heavily on my personal goals and good friends to maintain focus and direction, and the two go hand in hand.

I make an effort to set goals that are a little bit scary, a little bit beyond my comfort zone – if the idea gives me goosebumps, I’m usually sold.  If you’re about to make a change in your lifestyle, I think having a goal, a reason for that change, is wise and motivating.  It can be your source of inspiration.  It doesn’t have to be a goal of an insurmountable magnitude, it just has to be important to you.  To me, a goal should be specific, measurable, and motivated by something of personal importance.

So, with goals in mind, good friends are often the sustenance that keeps you going.  As I have made changes over the last two years, I’ve recruited the support of friends and family, because let’s be real – no matter how committed I am to my goals, that piece of apple pie/chocolate shake/donut looks realllllly good, and I’m not infallible.  Sometimes I need a little bit of extra help!  At first, I was hesitant to seek that support and shared my efforts only with my best friend.  She had her reservations initially – my dietary changes meant fewer pizza and ice cream nights for us.  You’re going to encounter this in friends and family – hesitation, even resistance at times.  Change is hard, but if you can communicate the significance and importance of your goals and the changes needed to reach them, you’re more likely to meet a positive response than resistance.  “It always helps me to know your goals and why they matter.  As your best friend, I want you to cheat sometimes because it would be fun to eat a bunch of ice cream, but as your best friend, I want you to meet your goals more,” was the summation provided recently.  My goals give direction and power to my commitment and progress, they do the same for the commitment and support of my friends and family.  Recruit the support of someone in your life who can support you, someone who’s on your side when you lose sight of the “why” you’re doing this, someone that can refocus your attention and efforts on your goals.  The responsibility is ultimately yours, but it’s nice to know you have someone in your corner.

As I have made these transitions in the last two years, I have also taken advantage of the friends and family in my life that embrace a similar commitment to health and follow similar dietary and fitness patterns to mine – dinners together, recipe swaps, words of wisdom and encouragement, inspiration and motivation from their commitment and progress, and occasionally the proverbial “kick in the butt” when I need a less-gentle reminder to stay focused.  These people probably exist in your life too, so don’t be afraid to tap that resource – people are generally enthused about sharing their experiences and providing support!

A few friend-related tips I have found helpful:

1. Share your goals – recruit support from friends and family by communicating to them the significance in what you’re doing, why it’s important to you, and what they can do to help.  Be specific in identifying why this change is important and a few things that you might find helpful – “I’m really committed to eating healthy right now because I want to be able to start running two times a week by April 1,” and “Let’s get lunch at the Mediterranean Café next week instead of XXX.  It’s a lot easier for me to make healthy choices there, so it would be really helpful.”

2. Don’t hide from your social circle while you take on these changes - invite friends for dinner at your place and make a delicious and healthy meal!  Recipes abound on the internet and friends are often enthused about positive changes – you’ll recruit more support and might even inspire someone else to make a healthful change!  Not interested in cooking?  Meet out for dinner!  Scope out the menu first so you’re well prepared and know what your options are.

3. Swap recipes - find someone making the same lifestyle changes you are and swap recipes and tips.  New ideas ensure variety and keep the entire experience fun – which makes it a ton easier in my opinion to make this a true lifestyle shift, not just a challenge in the short-term!

4. Encourage someone else - with such a great program launching, many people will be embracing healthy changes.  Providing support and encouragement to others and showing enthusiasm for the efforts of a friend reminds me of my commitment to my goals.  It keeps me inspired.

5. Celebrate your progress – if your goal is to run three miles, celebrate with friends as you progress.  Identify milestones – running without stopping, running a mile, running two miles.  Celebrate your commitment, your efforts, and your progress with friends and family who are committed to your success!

Find a goal, find a friend, and get excited about the great changes you’re about to make in your life!

The next adventure...RAGNAR TRAIL ZION

A bit of radio silence as of late, but back at it with new energy and excitment today!

I've been busy enjoying the everyday adventures and rhythm of life in DC - but it was only a matter of time before an email that opened with "Hello friends and fellow adventurers..." found its way to my inbox.

The emailed-adventure takes a bit of a twist from the traditional Ragnar Relay, a 200-mile team relay from one city to another, by moving the venue out of city streets and into national parks, bringing together a bit of trail racing, group camping, bonfires and s'mores.  Hmmmm, Ragnar Trail...it was all very enticing.  It was also all in Utah at Zion National Park...appealing, but a good distance away from DC.  And I was already slotted to run a half marathon in just over 2 weeks...was I really up for another runinng adventure!?

Much number crunching followed to consider the finances, timeline, and my vacation leave and on and on.  I had many moments of hesitation, and even a handful of moments when I thought, "This is insane, I don't have time for this, this doesn't make sense, I can't do it!"  This was followed by the realizaiton that has struck me over and over...it will never make sense, the "right time" doesn't exist, and it's never going to work out to be the pefect opportunity.  Life's adventures and opportunities have to be sought out, they don't fall into your lap in perfect packages.   And so, after much indecision, some coaxing from friends, and a few phonecalls home to Mom and Dad VanDenHeuvel (always my go-to in the face of uncertaintity), I was convinced - how could I resist an adventure that pulled together all-night bonfires and s'mores, camping, and a relay race through Zion National Park!?  Besides - my trail running shoes have been collecting dust as of late, time to put them to use!  And did I mention that the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, where Ragnar Village will be set-up for camping, has all-night hot-tubs and pools!?  With slides!?  As far as I can tell, I'm going to a camp for grown-ups (who like to run)!

I'll be racing with a relay team of 8 on three trails through Zion National Park.  Our team has experienced runners and Ragnar-veterans...I'm looking forward to their insight for training and can't wait to meet new friends and the adventures ahead!

Be and Be Better - Justin's Gifts to Us

This week marks one-year's time since the unexpected death of a friend - a dear friend and someone so integrated into my daily routine that even a year later I sense his absence everyday, a person so unique and kind and loved by so many that his friends, scattered around the world, have reached out in the previous 12 months to provide comfort and support and love to each other across continents and oceans, and across prior grievances and pride.

I wish there were words to explain Justin, to do him justice, but there simply are not - I could never do justice to what a kind person he was, his infectious smile and laugh, his loyalty, his honesty, his trustworthiness, his silliness, his charismatic personality, his ability to crack a joke or tease a friend to show that he cared, his incredible sense of adventure, his enthusiasm for life and all that it offers, or the way that this all came together in him.  Justin appealed to everyone, he left everyone he met feeling special.  "He made every group feel like they were the 'best friend' group in his life,” was the accurate assessment made by a friend.

And so with that in mind, it's no surprise that I have tried to start this post more than a dozen times.  I have sat down to collect my thoughts, laid my fingers to the keyboard...but nothing comes, or nothing adequate.

  

Much of the last year has left me sad and uncertain, but I know with every bit of my being that there is good to find here, there are gifts that Justin left us, and I so very much want to make sure they are given the emphasis that they deserve.

In the last year, in the midst of so much sadness and uncertaintity, I have also been filled with gratitude, awestruck to see Justin's friends come together, support each other, take care of friends known only through a connection to him.  In moments of joy and of sorrow, I have looked around rooms filled with friends and become acutely aware that without Justin, I would know so few of the people to whom I am now forever connected – climbing friends, crossfit friends, work friends, friends from eras of Justin's life before I ever knew him, his family.  Justin's death brought me face to face with a kindness and compassion from my own friends and family, spread near and far, that was overwhelming.

After the initial numbness of grief subsided, a dull and constant pain set in, but with time, that pain gave way to a new sense of purpose.  I felt compelled to seek adventures and to find peace where I could, and I have been supported, cheered for and pushed forward by not only my own family and friends, but also by Justin’s.  There is a power in knowing that these people understand this pain and loss and hurt in their hearts.  It can't be explained, they simply know.

One night this winter, Justin’s mom simply noted the truth, "Justin gave you people."  To all of you – to my family, to his family, to friends of Justin I've come to know only in the last year, to friends we shared and those that knew me long before I ever encountered the incredible joy of being Justin's friend - I am forever grateful for your support and love, near and far, in the middle of the night, in the middle of tears, in the middle of endless laughter and in moments filled with pain.

We all miss Justin, but I am grateful for this gift and for so many of you – Justin’s presence in my life has pushed me to do things I never thought I would or could.  The sentiment in the final words of Maya Angelou’s “When Great Trees Fall” has resonated with me with increasing intensity in the previous days and is a poem so many of us will forever connect to Justin…

“…They existed. They existed.


We can be. Be and be


better. For they existed.”

Justin proved to be an unassuming inspiration.  That inspiration remains now in each of you.  There is nothing about this hurting that I like or understand, but I know so very clearly that our mission now is to find peace, move forward with the gifts he gave, and be better.  Because of Justin, and because of all of you, I am a better person today and I will strive to be better, always.

Love to you, JC…we miss you more than you could ever know.

So, you’re thinking about an adventure vacation...

Huge thanks to Marco Adelfio for being so willing to share such a great shot!

My trip to Ecuador and adventures into the Andes were incredible – but came with lots and lots of planning, so I thought I’d share a few things to consider when planning your next big adventure.  Adventure vacations, while incredible (and with opportunities for amazing photos), are also filled with moments that are far from glamorous, the details that aren't often talked about - if you're looking for honest insight, you'll find it below.  All I can offer here are my own personal experiences, and hope that some bit of knowledge might be garnered by someone in the audience...

1. Make friends with someone at REI.  Find an employee that has experience in whatever type of adventure you’re about to take and ask a lot of questions. REI employees are a wealth of knowledge.  If you’re in the DC area and looking for insight from someone at REI in Bailey’s Crossroads, I’ve got the man for you!

2. Go basic on equipment – here, not everyone will agree.  And admittedly, the more fancy features you find on your jacket/pack/etc., the happier you’ll be, but here’s the catch...it’s hard to know which fancy features you’ll want and which you’ll find a waste of time and money.  Save your dollars until you know which features are important to you – in the meantime, go basic and borrow from friends when possible.  You can upgrade later!

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  If you’re out of the country, it’s worth considering the risk of food poisoning when dining out on trips of this nature as well – when in doubt, stick to bottled water (and make sure the cap is sealed when it arrives).  Aside from helping to combat several downfalls of travel and physical exertion in a new environment, a little H20 goes a long way in helping to make your skin glow…and with all the pictures you’ll be taking, you’ll be happy to keep your skin looking healthy!

4. Speaking of skin…whether your find yourself on the top of a glacier or sunbathing near the sea, a sunburn never feels good and can put a serious damper on the remainder of your trip.  Buy UV protective clothing and load up on sunscreen so you can enjoy your fun, without peeling later!

5. You’re going to lose a toenail, puncture your hand/foot/leg with your crampon, hit yourself in the head with your ice axe, or suffer some other less-than-glamorous bodily injury.  Pack a first aid kit, hope you never need it, and know that you probably will.

6. Kiss your modesty goodbye, at least in the short term.  I’ll admit, I fell on a rather steep portion of the mountain while using the little-girls room on Chimborazo – hope you’re close with your team and that they’re as kind as mine!  Hopefully you’ll escape such an ordeal, but realistically speaking, at some point, you’re still going to have to use Mother Nature’s little-girls (or little-boys) room with significantly less privacy than you’d prefer (five feet of personal space became a luxury on my trip at some points).  I can’t personally speak to the power of a “Go Girl”, but I know it was a big hit with some ladies this trip.

7. For the female readers – let it suffice it to say that if you’re of childbearing age, there are certain hormonal and cyclical occurrences of the monthly variety to consider.  In this day and age, these issues can be medically managed and rescheduled for a more convenient time in your life.  I know, I know…you don’t like the idea of messing with your hormones, I get it, but it’s worth at least considering this one time.  Enough said.

8. Pack and plan for your own toiletries and meds.  Don’t assume you’ll be able to purchase necessary medications once you arrive.  I exhausted my family-sized bottle of Advil within one week in Ecuador and was unable to find a pharmacy that carried more.  If you’ll be outside the country, carry your own toilet paper and remember, there’s not enough hand-sanitizer in the world when you’re traveling. Make sure to purchase your own personal antibacterial hand-goop with a hook or clip for external-attaching to your backpack or bag.  It keeps it handy and avoids the dreaded “dig” through your entire pack when in a hurry!  Earplugs are invaluable if you’ll be sleeping in close-quarters with other adventurers.

9. Anticipate your expenses and start saving early – I’m a big fan of mint.com, but really any budgeting system will work.  My general recommendation?  Save more than you think you need.  A lot more than you think you need.  Trips and vacations of this nature get spendy and in a hurry.

10. Insurance – hopefully you’ll enjoy every vacation illness-free, but when you’re about to embark on an adventure, it’s best to be prepared!  Consider the location and associated risks with your impending trip – natural disasters, political stability, access to healthcare?  Don’t assume that your current health insurance will be sufficient – call to make sure!  In anticipation of my recent trip, I purchased a plan through Global Rescue for emergency evacuation and transportation and as supplemental coverage to my current health insurance.  For additional information related to insurance and healthcare coverage, I found "Ten Health Care Tips for Travel" from “inside workplace wellness” by Janet McNichol, Director of HR at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, to be particularly insightful.  Do your homework in advance - there are tons of options out there, find the one best suited to meet your needs.

By no means is this list all-encompassing, rather just a few of the take-away points from my recent adventure.  For additional reading regarding the fun we had, see jetsetination, written by Cynthia Lin, another climber and good friend from the expedition to Ecuador.