Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Therapeutic Eating

I started this posting Jan. 31, and it took me until Feb. 3 to figure out what I really wanted to say.

I am not always mature when it comes to food choices. I know how I should eat and most of the time I make healthy choices. However, sometimes I practice what I call "therapeutic eating." When I just don't feel well, it's usually hot & sour soup with crab rangoon. When overwhelmed by stress, chocolate, fast food hamburgers, French fries, potato chips and dip, and fried pickles may be necessary.

When totally unable to make healthy choices due to stress, I set a time limit for how long the bad behavior will continue. Usually, one meal or even a whole day is all that is needed. I give myself permission to eat anything I want and I don't feel any guilt. Finding something to be fun is the point - fun reduces stress.

Well, I've set my deadlines and I'll be ready to get back to normal soon.

The point is, we don't have to be perfect all of the time. (I've heard rumors that even Bonnie Stein will have French fries once in a while.) Sometimes it is even good for us to get a little off track - have a piece of chocolate cake, take a day off walking... Just so we don't go nuts.

If you have had a fitness or "healthy living" set back - don't give up! Set a deadline and treat that deadline like it's special. Make it your own personal celebration or holiday - like New Year's all over again! Don't let a little bad behavior ruin what could be very positive remainder of the year!

Overcoming Set Backs

My training is a little behind schedule. Once I had the time to resume walking, it was too cold. Now, I walk year-round, so I don't really like to blame a lack of training on the weather. When I'm out regularly, I get acclimated and I like being out in winter. However, it's difficult to jump-start a training program in the middle of a freezing spell. During my last regular walks the temps were very mild and now it's been below freezing and snowy. (I know, it's winter in Ohio.)

I finally decided that if I am going to be ready for the Country Music Half Marathon, I have to get out and walk. I bundled up and went out for 30 minutes today. Because the sidewalks are clear, I didn't have to wear my boots and I missed the crunchy snow I love, but it still felt great.

I feel energized and enthusiastic. And as always, walking helps relieve stress. (I've had a LOT of stress lately.)

I'm ready to get back to walking!

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Winners

WALK! Magazine will announce the winners of the Walker Friendly City and Walker Friendly Event next week!

In addition, we will announce a couple of the events we plan to attend at the same time and a few more details about the WALK! Magazine Walking Team.

In the meantime, keep getting in your base mileage. Our first Walking Team half marathon will be in early May!

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Getting Back to Normal

The WALK! Magazine offices are open again. The mail is a little backed up, but we expect to be caught up by Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who sent e-mails of support. They were very much appreciated.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Sad News

Due to a death in the family, the WALK! Magazine offices will be closed until January 22, 2007. Orders and e-mails will be handled after that date.

Thank you for your patience.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Result of Oatmeal

This will sound a little bit odd to those of you who love breakfast. After a little over two weeks of eating oatmeal, I am starting to be hungry in the morning. It is a LOT easier eating when you are actually hungry. I can only assume that my body is getting used to having food in the morning and has decided it likes it.

So far one of my goals for 2007 has been working how I predicted. Now I need to make a trip to Trader Joe's and stock up on oatmeal. That other instant stuff is not as good, and I just tried microwaving quick cooking oats. (Yuck) I do not recommend it.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

As Bad as Smoking?

Sometimes I think things I consume can be just as bad as smoking. Let me explain.

Many smokers go about their day happily enjoying every puff of their cigarettes. They know there are risks, they know it is harmful to their health, but they live in their own little worlds thinking, “It won’t happen to me. I’ll be OK.”

Well, I love caffeine. I usually drink just one cup of coffee in the morning and tea throughout the day. But my real love is a diet cola soft drink over lots of ice.

Over the years I have heard the health warnings about caffeine and artificial sweeteners. I took them as seriously as I did the report that broccoli and peanut butter cause cancer. For every bad report about caffeine, I would find one about how it improves athletic performance or scores on math tests. I have low blood pressure and I’ve rarely had trouble sleeping, so I ignored it all.

Now there's a report that caffeine can affect calcium absorption. Whoa! My doctor recently told me I have not been consuming enough calcium for years. For the last month I have struggled to get just one of those chocolate chews down every morning (with my coffee) and I'm supposed to take one in the evening, too. Yuck.

I've begun to worry about whether I'll be one of those people who breaks a hip and is never really the same. Or maybe I'll shrink and end up not even 5 feet tall.

Chances are the story I saw has exaggerated the results of a study. I know I can’t blindly eat and drink whatever I feel like and expect there will be no consequences later in life. I try to make healthy choices, I exercise regularly (weight-bearing exercise) and I have never smoked.

In the meantime, I am trying harder to take calcium twice a day and I'm limiting my favorite beverage to no more than one a day. I have even replaced a couple caffeinated beverages with plain old water.

I hope my bones remember this when I get old.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Oatmeal

One of my biggest nutrition issues is that I am not hungry in the morning and do not like to eat breakfast. I know how important it is to eat breakfast, and I try. Usually I'll have a Trader Joe's granola bar in the car, then around 10 eat a piece of fruit. I'm starving by the time lunch rolls around.

I have recently discovered the joys of instant oatmeal! Trader Joe's has some great instant oatmeals including one with dried blueberries. It cooks in about 60 seconds and because of the fruit, it doesn't need sugar. I LOVE it! On chilly mornings it is perfect for me.

I ran out of the blueberry oatmeal this week so tried some plain we had around the house. Not nearly as tasty and it definitely needed sugar, but it still tasted good. The other benefit is I'm not starving when lunch rolls around.

I'll still have to eat fruit mid-morning to be sure I get enough servings in a day, but it sure is nice not feeling so hungry I overeat. I'm also beginning to look forward to eating breakfast!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Ad Rep Needed

Wanted - An Advertising Representative for WALK! Magazine

WALK! Magazine is looking for an energetic, self starter to help this growing magazine keep growing! Work from your home or office and set your own hours.

For more information, contact Cindi Leeman at WALK! Magazine, admin@walk-magazine.com.

Saturday, January 06, 2007

The Post Office Did It

I just received an e-mail from a subscriber in Illinois saying he just received his Winter issue of WALK! Magazine today! I can't believe it! The magazine mailed December 7 from Fort Worth, TX. We received our copy at our offices in Ohio around the 13th of December. I did hear from a reader in Michigan that her issue arrived about January 3.

What I have heard from the U.S. Postal Service is that a magazine can sit in any post office between the mailing point and the final destination for up to three days. If your mail goes to three post offices before it reaches you, that means it can take nine days for you to receive it. I cannot see how there can be enough post offices between Ft. Worth and ANYWHERE in the U.S. that would require 26 days to deliver! I suppose it's possible that with all of the extra mail sent in December they may alter the rules for periodicals, I don't know.

Here is my proposed solution. What if we shift the publication dates of the magazine a little so that Winter arrives in January instead of December? That way most of the holiday mail will be gone before WALK even gets mailed. I'll play around with the spacing to see how it will work. Let me know what you think or if you have any better ideas.

Great Things Happening!

We have some great things in the works for subscribers to WALK! Magazine.

Training Program
First, we are finalizing our training program to help you prepare for an event with WALK! Magazine. We have one event chosen and we think you will really like it. Sorry, but I can't tell you which one just yet. We are also finalizing agreements with the other events. We are negotiating discounted entry fees as well as offering great shirts, training schedules and more. In fact, we are even going to offer weekly motivation! (More on that later.)

And don't forget, we have FREE half marathon training schedules from Dave McGovern on our web site - www.walk-magazine.com.

Offer WALK! Magazine as a Membership Benefit
We are now offering a discounted subscription program for walking clubs! Check out our web site at www.walk-magazine.com for more information. We have a lot of subscribers who need to renew this time of year so this offer is coming at just the right time. And if you don't yet subscribe, here is your chance to get a great deal. Be sure to talk to the officers of your walking club about offering this membership benefit.

Fleece Tops
This is a little different for us, but WALK! Magazine is offering great fleece tops at a ridiculously low price on our online store. Have you seen those great orange fleece tops from the 2006 New Albany Walking Classic 10K? Now you can buy one. Check it out.

Tech Shirts
Finally, we are working on getting technical shirts back in stock. Please be patient. If you have ordered one and have not heard from us about the back order, please contact us. We hope to have these in stock and out the door very soon.

Base Mileage
In the meantime, let's keep working on our base mileage. Before we can start any distance event training schedule, we need to be walking for at LEAST 30 minutes 3-5 days a week. Get out and walk today!

Monday, January 01, 2007

My Resolutions

Happy New Year!

I didn't used to make New Year's resolutions, but as I "mature" I see the wisdom in setting goals for the upcoming year. And, as many athletes know, if you don't set goals for training, you won't be ready. So, here are my resolutions for 2007:

Personal Fitness Goals
- Walk 3-5 days every single week.
- Set training schedules for the events I will enter, and follow them.
- I won't enter any event I'm not in shape to enter.
- I won't increase my mileage by more than 10% in any week.
- Improve my upper body strength.
- Drink more water.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables.
- Schedule a few massages.
- Reduce stress.
- Wear a pedometer more often and keep track of my walking.

Other Goals
- Have WALK! Magazine recognized as THE national walking publication.
- Dramatically increase the number of subscribers.
- Get some (any) publicity for the magazine.
- Plan a walking event for 2008. (It takes at least a year to plan an event properly.)
- Dramatically increase the number of walkers who enter an event. (Wouldn't it be cool if one of the events we select to go to this year sees a huge increase in the number of walkers?)
- Have each issue filled with exciting and interesting articles.
- This is a biggee, and dependent on increasing subscribers and advertisers, but I would LOVE to publish 6 issues a year.
- Have great content on our web site.
- Increase the types of shirts (and slogans) we offer.
- I will focus less on Ohio weather in my blogs!

The other thing I have realized about New Year's resolutions and goals is that they should be works in progress. We can't all be perfect all of the time, and that is OK. Sometimes we set goals that are too high and need to be modified. Sometimes we have early failure and just quit. (That is unacceptable.) It's OK to readjust or set new goals part way through the year! The important thing is to set the goals to begin with. If we don't set goals, we have no idea where we are going.

(I would love to see what your resolutions are and how you plan to keep them.)

PS: I did already walk today!