The Comparison Game: The Gym & Our Mentality

We live in a world where we strive everyday to be the best, have the best and look our best. It's been seared into our DNA since childhood when we dreaded being picked last in kickball. The same concept followed us to adulthood as MTV broadcasted stick-thin celebrities and Pinterest asks us to re-pin athletes with washboard abs.  In a perfect world we want to choke those annoying voices in our heads that say we're not good enough, but it's not always easy when we're constantly surrounded by opportunities to compare ourselves with others. I love Pinterest and find it as a great motivator to stay fit and healthy. However, I'll see a pin like this before the gym:

and feel slightly discouraged when I don't leave my workout with a BMI of 18 and abs made of pure steel; I have to then take a step back and realize that once again I was a victim of the comparison game.

This mentality always seems to sneak up at the gym. I will admit that I have been guilty of running on the treadmill and trying to out run the person next to me. But why? Who cares. Another person's workout is not mine or my concern and another's fitness goals are different than what I am trying to achieve. We cannot compare ourselves, especially at the gym, because it will only set us up for temporary satisfaction and overall disappointment.

Actually, the answer is no but enjoy yourself as you set yourself up for temporary self-fulfillment.

The other day I was at the gym and glanced at the guy running next to me: he was nearing his fifth mile while I was walking at a pace of 4.0 on the treadmill. I immediately thought, he's obviously pushing himself harder than I am so after this I'm going to bike and elliptical for 30 minutes. Woah, what am I doing? I immediately put myself on an equal playing field as the person next to me. He obviously looks like a Cross Country runner, I am not, and I had a hard workout yesterday and was using today to take it easy. My workouts are catered to my own fitness goals and not the stranger hoofin' it next to me.

Yes, it's hard but we can't be sucked into the comparison game. Instead praise yourself that you just beat your mile record time by 30 seconds and who cares if the person next to you just ran a 5K. It's important to focus on our own achievements, big or small. Comparing ourselves, in and outside the gym, only leads to discouragement plus it's exhausting. What I discovered early in my softball career, no matter how hard I practiced there will always be someone stronger, faster or better than me. I learned to only push myself against my own limits and no one else's.

Use others' achievements as motivators but never as criteria in which to measure yourself. You are you and no one else. Be your personal best and you can never be disappointed.

My Colorful Nature Run/ I Spy Game

Today puts the sun in Sunday; it is absolutely beautiful out. I would be insulting Mother Nature not to enjoy the weather because soon everything will be covered in a white blanket of snow. Ew... I have lived in New York all my life and still have not accepted our long and chilly winters, so even more reason to go and frolic under the sunshine!

I chose to go on a nature run but decided to make it into game to pass the time: a solo I Spy game (can you tell I'm an only child?). I wanted to capture as many colors as I could throughout my run. Plus..for each colorful object I'd discover, the more times I'd have stop, whip out my smartphone, & the capture the moment...aka the more colors I find = the more breaks I can take.

Yay, lets channel our childhood and play I Spy!

         

 

   

Not a bad way to start off the upcoming week; now let's hope my "runner's high" can stick with me long enough to write a 5 page paper.

Enjoy the sunshine!

  

  

Caffine: The Post-Workout Pick-Me Up

Sweat cleanses from the inside. 

It comes from places a shower will never reach. 

-Dr. George Sheehan

I absolutely love that quote. One of my favorite feelings in the world is pushing myself to the point in a workout where, afterwards, I'm drenched in sweat. Gross, maybe, but it's an amazing feeling knowing that you reached that state solely on self-motivation. It's an reward within itself.

Well, my self-motivation has been a tad on the short side lately. Usually, I'm an eager beaver when if comes to working out, but the past week I've been forcing myself with small steps (Okay, just change into your gym clothes. Next, just ride to the gym. You're almost there...etc.)

I don't like being at the gym longer than I have to because I have the attention capacity of a small child. I like to get in, have a good workout, and get out. I like to do a few day of cardio with some lifting peppered in; just, ugh!, for some reason I dread the days I do cardio. I feel great afterwards; but, for some reason, the days I lift seem so much easier than the days I cardio-it-up. Ah, why is that?

Anywho...if my muscles are tired, it takes an extra motivational push to get through my workout. Which comes to my post-work out solution for soreness. Caffeine! A study found that caffeine can relieve post-work out pain better than a lot of protein shakes or popping ibuprofen. A study found "that caffeine blocks the activity of a chemical called adenosine, which is released into the body as part of the inflammatory response to injury (source)."

So, I've starting drinking coffee post workout vs sucking it down right before (plus, I don't have to stop working out to pee). Win/Win! 

Orange you glad you learned this fun fact?

So, drink Starbucks to feel like a million bucks after a work out! 

Or pick up a Dunkin' to dunk into another great work out tomorrow (eh, I tried)! 

Happy Hump Day!

  

My Top 5 Summer Achievements

It's that bittersweet time of the year: the end of summer. School is starting back up (sweet), but it'll probably snow in about a month (bitter). Regardless, my summer was filled with a ton of rewarding experiences; I couldn't of asked for a more fulfilling season-- personally and externally.

Like the midnight news, here's a recap of the Top 5 headline-worthy achievements of my summer (in no particular order):

1) Overcoming a fear: Running in my first 5k

I overcame my fear of running, and participated in something that would have sounded absurd two years ago. Like phonics, I'm hooked and hoping to participate in a half marathon in the near future!

2) Started a new hobby: Cycling

I finally gave in and bought a Trek road bike (aka Colbalt aka Colbie) which became the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

We starred as the dynamic duo in my first big LiveStrong 45 mile bike race which led to...

....kinda-sorta meeting Lance Armstrong! That alone experience could have defined my summer.

3) New family addition: Sophie

Sophie's spunky and loving personality became a perfect family fit, and she finally grew on Heidi after she stopped trying to nurse from her. Though my dad refers to her as the "Hellien", we are all completely in love.

4) Improved a skill: Cooking

Having a garden has encouraged me to try new recipes and practice my cooking. Plus, I'm the epitome of a food-a-holic so anything that has to with food is motivation enough. My mom always said that cooking just takes practice, and I have to say she was right. A couple years ago, I thought I was doomed to a lifestyle of cereal and frozen meals...but there's hope for me yet. I love to cook, especially when I am able cook for others. What's that famous biblical manta?...Give a woman a fish, and she can eat for a day; but, teach a woman to cook and she can eat for a lifetime? Something like that ;)

5) Received "Bucket List Worthy" Recognition: Stonyfield 

This was unexpected, but nevertheless made me jump with joy. I didn't know when I wrote my post about Stonyfield that it would actually be read by the company. I was just expressing my love affair with the company's products, and was thrilled to know that they thought I was "moo-rific" in return.

School has started aka time to set a few more goals to make the Fall just a rewarding and successful as the Summer. Half-marathon, possibly? Hey, why not shoot for the stars.

  

The Post-5K Experience

My parents, as well as the rain, came out to support me. I give the Half-Marathon runners a ton of credit because they all got poured on (my "runner's high" isn't yet immune to such weather conditions). Luckily, the rain tapered off by the time we lined up. I soon realized that all running levels were apparent within the 5K group--this eased my nerves and my "nervous pee" (my urban dictionary definition: the urge to pee, caused from feeling nervous and anxious before an important athletic event). Once the race began, it was energizing to have everyone around you. I went through phases of "I feel great" to "Ow, my aching calves". When I hit the 2 mile marker, it fueled my motivation to keep chuggin' along. I felt like an Iron (wo)Man.

My parents were hooting and hollering near the finish line--this is what they captured during their fury of picture taking. My first thought after seeing this picture: holy brightness, I was easy to spot; and my second thought: everyone was right, my shoes do look funny.

It felt great to hit the finish line. I ran it in 28 minutes! I came in 18th out of 84 in my age group, and 172nd out of 604 overall. Not too shabby for my first race--maybe I'll run the Half Marathon next year (or that just may be my "runner's high" talking).

Every sport I have ever played was team-orientated; every victory or defeat was shared amongst other teammates. I have never participated in a solo athletic event where I can appreciate total personal achievement.  I pushed outside my comfort zone to accomplish a task that would have been too physically and mentally challenging a year ago. I feel fantastic.

Vibram FiveFingers: An "I love you" gift to myself, and an investment in my health

I decided to buy myself a little "I love you" gift, and what's a better reminder of my self-love than a new pair of Vibram FiveFingers (FiveFingers has a better ring to it than FiveToes). For those of you who have never seen a pair of FiveFingers:
(1) yes, they are sneakers and;
(2) yes, you're correct, they do look funny.
And you're probably thinking: No way, they look like frog's feet. And I say hey!, don't judge a sneaker by it's web toes! These little beauties are worth the investment. This is my second pair and I'm hooked.

Why do they look like frog feet? Well, the structure of the shoe is suppose to mimic the feeling of running barefoot. The first time you wear them, you'll be sore because you're using different muscles than a pair of non-webbed sneakers would. PLUS (my favorite attribute), you don't need to wear socks with them (they do make FiveFinger toe socks for you, non-foot nudists). Stink up these puppies as much as you want because you can just pop them in the washing machine. Yes, they're water-proof (perfect water or dorm-living shower shoes). They're pretty much 5 shoes in one, and I'm sure if Jesus wore shoes, these would be it. I basically run in mine, but they're also great for hiking, swimming, climbing, biking, casual, dancing, prancing, and pretty much anything else ending in an -ing. They're just plain comfy--like a beer cozy for your feet.

They are a little pricey, but you'd pay the same amount for a quality pair of Nike sneakers. They have been a huge investment in my health. I used to hate despise running (I would have an asthma attack at the mere thought of the suicides after basketball practice), and have weak knees (say "hi" to the knees). But after wearing my FiveFingers, I have learned to love running and my knees no longer hurt.

So if you're okay with your feet being stared at by strangers,
then I would definitely make the investment--join the growing trend and treat your feet to some sock-less t.l.c.