Category Archives: Exercise

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

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Well, these words have certainly been this past year’s anthem. During the early days of recovery this line was chanted day after day by my boyfriend as he smiled with every step I would take on my crutches. And I would sing these words to sleep as I dreamt of the sun rising, one morning closer to a full recovery.

Well almost one year later and I am walking, spinning and now running. And even though the rest of this post will show you just how strong I am, there is still that little voice of the past that chimes in and makes me sad.

I wont harp on it too long, but with the clearance to run also comes the disappointment that I am not returning to the runner I was up to the moment the accident happened. Running was taken away from me and now I have to start over. It is amazing that I can run again, and I appreciate that ability every moment, but it comes with the pain that I have to work to find my freedom and comfort again.

I know that this this feeling of mourning the past will slowly slip away as I build a new relationship with running, starting with reconnecting from the beginning. This weekend I took a Chi Running workshop to learn how to use my body as efficiently as possible to sustain the least amount of impact. If you are in the Bay Area and want a great teacher take a class from Sally!

Look at me go!


I even took everything I learned and put it to use Monday night:

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I was able to use posture and foot placement to run myself down to my good old friend the running path and capture that beautiful neighbor of mine, the Golden Gate Bridge, in the setting sun.

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This is where my strength has gotten me and I know I can only continue to rebuild and grow from this point. I just have to make sure that my strength drowns out that mournful voice of the past as I continue to place my feet on the ground faster and faster.

Taking it Back

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On June 30, 2012 my life changed forever. In a freak, let’s prove the existence of physics running accident, I broke my left hip. After major surgery and months of recovery I am back in tip top shape. Other than a higher risk of arthritis and some weaker leg muscles that will slowly even out, I feel great.

Recently, I was given the ok from my doctors to return to impact sports, including running! I’ve known for over a week that it’s perfectly fine to move my body in that way, but after such a traumatic experience with my favorite activity I had to mull over my newly found freedom. Since the accident I haven’t even hopped on my left leg and now I am fully functioning and able to feel the pavement fly by under my feet.

But it’s not that simple. I had a major trauma to my left hip and increased impact means higher chances of arthritis, and no one wants that. So, I will have to strike a fine balance between my love of running and my desire to continue living pain free. This is the challenge that lies before me, but yesterday was simply the day I got to take back running!

In addition to my run, I did something else that I haven’t done in a while: Kayaking!

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Just over the bridge in Marin I took advantage of the Cali sun and paddeled out on the water, enjoying the view and a few sea lion friends.

And after all of this activity I  was ready for an easy dinner -

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I lightly microwaved a sweet potato, then cut medallions to line the bottom of a glass dish. I also sauteed some brussel sprouts and broccoli and mixed it together with two eggs and some egg whites and of course spices: garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, oregano. I poured this mixture into the dish and topped it with sesame seeds. I baked it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

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I served this dish with arrugala and avocado and KETCHUP! Yum!

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Little Obsessions

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Most of my days are fairly routine in the sense that I go to work all day (normally with some sort of break in the middle, if I’m lucky), then I take myself over to the gym and either spin or do a body weight workout, and then come home and make dinner, followed by relaxing on the couch, before I wake up and do it all over again.

So it’s those little finds, a new workout obsession, an innovative recipe or a pair of new shoes that I can’t wait to wear, that pulls me through the week.

Lately I have been focusing on my new little obsessions and they have helped me get through some of those rougher stretches of days:

1. Banana ice cream:

It’s so easy to make (literally just freeze a banana and blend it up!) but it’s so creamy and refreshing AND guilt free!

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2. Pampering myself on Sunday evenings

Last Sunday I got a haircut around 4pm and it was the best thing ever! After a day of errands and cleaning the apartment for the week, sitting in a chair while someone else massaged my head and played with my hair felt heavenly.

And only because my hair did not need another trim after 7 days, did I decide to get my nails done this past Sunday. Indulging in the slightly less expensive mani pedi was another simple treat to myself and probably one of the best ways to end a weekend.

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3. New (cheap) workout clothes

Of course I have the staple expensive workout spandex and a handful of pricey tops, but this past weekend I found athletic apparel with a price tag I can smile about.

C9 by Champion for Target makes wonderfully soft and comfortable workout gear, but it won’t leave you feeling guilty at the checkout line. I went a little crazy this weekend and bought a bunch of tops, but at $12 a pop it was hard to hold back.

For all of you fiscally conscious gym rats enjoy shopping…

What are some of your little obsessions lately?

I’m Back

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Dear Blogging World,

I apologize for my absence. It was not on purpose, nor were there any feelings of malice behind my leave, life just got in the way. That is not a good excuse as you are part of my daily living, but please forgive me for straying for so long.

Ok, ok. Yes, I failed to blog one post this week, but sometimes life happens and my fingers are just too tired to lift themselves from key to key after all that I am dealing with – work, emotional health, physical strength, responsibilities at home…

So I’m back after a mini-hiatus and ready to post away.

Unfortunately I have no new exciting recipes to share with all of you, but after some experimenting tonight I will have a new meal creation for all of you to try.

My workouts are going well at the gym. In between spinning and pilates classes I have been walking on the treadmill and doing the following core exercise I found on Pinterest.

core challenge

For me it’s hard to go to the gym and get in a good workout if I’m not taking a class where an instructor yells at me to push it harder. But I have found that finding routines online and printing them out to bring with me to the gym gives me a basis for completing a decent workout. Of course there are times where I stare at the paper and laugh refusing to do the last few sets because I’m ready to leave the gym, but most of the time I am able to find my inner gym instructor and do that last set of crunches and find the strength to do those last 5 push ups.

Do you find workouts online and actually follow through and do them?

Please pass any good ones along!

Now I’m off to enjoy a Sunday pilates class and bask in the beautiful spring like weather with a hike. But don’t worry I’ll leave enough energy to get cooking in the kitchen later :)

A weekend of learning

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I haven’t been in a classroom setting in almost four years. And while I aim to find myself back in higher education some day, right now I continue to learn outside these formal confines. This has been a year of self-exploration and finding strength and knowledge within myself. This weekend was yet another example of finding myself in situations and reaching inside to find answers, actions and my own power.

I participated in my second full length pilates class since the accident and worked with the physical strength I have built over the last few months to carry me through the hour. With a little extra security thanks to my non-slip pilates socks,

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I used my core, focused on my glutes and realized how strong I really was when I turned to my colleagues and found I was one of only a few in the class holding a position the longest. I still have a lot of form that I need to work on, and building back my pre-accident strength and shape will take time, but knowing that I am able to learn the basics again and practice them comfortably brings a smile to my face.

And I continue to learn about how well I can take care of myself as I clean, cook, prepare for the week ahead, take care of errands, practice patience with my body, care for my mind and parent this little one:

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After a busy Sunday getting ready for the week, I took dinner in a different direction and practiced my slow-cooker skills with an agave-soy chicken dish (adapted from this recipe):

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3 chicken breasts plus sauce:

1/2 cup of agave

1/2 cup of soy sauce

1/4 chicken stock

2 garlic cloves (minced)

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

Mix and pour of chicken in slow cooker – cook on high 4 hours

Serve of sauteed veggies and brown rice

Now, complete with some food prepped for the week I am all set to take on Monday and ready for more inner discoveries.

What have you learned about yourself lately?

WIAW – taking something back

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During my training for my half marathons I supplemented my days off between running with pilates classes. I was hesitant at first to enter the world of dance positions and flexibility, but after my initial classes I was hooked. However, once the accident happened pilates went out the window along with any heavy impact activities.

I have devoted this entire year to impact free exercises, but I was recently cleared to ease back into a few activities, including pilates. So Monday night I took back what was so abruptly and unpleasantly removed from my athletic repertoire and enjoyed an hour of pilates.

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(no I was not in a nightclub, my YMCA likes to set the mood with their lighting apparently)

While I am of course no where near as flexible as I was pre-broken hip, I still felt very strong and was able to perform almost all of the exercise without any fear of injuring myself. I hadn’t moved my body in this way in months and I felt my old pilates skills falling back into place like puzzle pieces clicking together as I transitioned from plank to downward dog and moved from two-leg to single leg bridges.

It was a freeing experience and I am excited to start incorporating elements of life before the accident back into my present. It will be a slow and timid journey at first, but before I know it I will be running again and this year will trail behind in my dust.

And now on to some eats that helped fuel me for this muscle building endeavor:

Earlier in the week I made my own tofu scramble, starting with cooking up some mushrooms and red pepper.

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Then I mixed in some firm tofu and added turmeric, garlic powder and basil.

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And then there was the time where I didn’t feel like cooking and made a plate of snacks: Smoked salmon, cucumbers and hummus fresh from the farmer’s market.

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And of course I have to have my sweets.

So I packed up a to-go bag of treats for work, including some trail mix and a homemade hamantaschen.

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Happy Hump Day Everyone!

Falling off the wagon and getting back on the horse

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Between traveling for work for 10 days and having a fabulous visitor for the weekend my gym routine has been far from normal. Before the big NYC Toy Fair I was going to spin class twice a week, swimming twice a week and doing some strength training. Since I boarded the plane to the east coast two weeks ago I saw the gym 3 times and did a ton of walking, but no real cardio in sight.

Just as my workouts slipped away, so did my positive eating habits. It’s hard to eat balanced meals when you are on your feet all day at a trade show and have to eat out for every meal.

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And even when entertaining friends for a long weekend, most meals are enjoyed at the pricey hands of others, of course the good company is always a welcomed addition :)

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So, even though I miss having my clean hotel room prepared every day, the complimentary hot drinks in the lobby each morning and my best bud by my side, it felt good to get back into a routine yesterday.

However, the getting back into the routine part is not easy and I was struggling with each pedal stroke in my spin class last night. But I survived, I felt good afterwards and I was proud of myself for climbing back onto that horse, I mean spin bike.

How have you convinced yourself to get back into healthy habits after straying?

Taking Advantage

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Living in the Bay Area is something special. I have said it a lot: Here and Here and Here. But where can you enjoy the whirring liveliness of the city and then drive less than an hour and be surrounded by the serene beauty of nature.

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With some out-of-towners in toe, we spent the day in Napa Valley enjoying the view, the tastes of aged grape juice and some laughs.

Who wouldn’t want to end the day with some glasses of bubbly!?

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Another thing that I have learned to appreciate and take more advantage of are the exercise classes offered at my YMCA. I have been trying to do as many spin classes as I can get to during the week, and this weekend I went to a spin class on Saturday and Sunday. Without long runs in my mix of workouts I find that I need to really be guided to get a good workout in and what better way to build up that cardio then with shouting instructors and spinning pedals?

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After an hour in the saddle I leave knowing that I have worked hard, burned some calories and strengthened my muscles. It’s also a great way to practice my posture and use my core to control my body and leg movements.

Unfortunately I will be traveling for work soon and I will not have access to a spin bike, let alone a spin class, but to maintain my exercise routines I will be taking advantage of the wonders of the internet and printing out some at-home workouts.

It always pays off to take a moment and look around at the resources that you have right at your finger tips.

What will you take advantage of today?

Compliments can go a long way

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When I used to run with the San Francisco Road Runners I was complimented by a fellow runner on my running form. Following his flattering observation I ran with more confidence and pride. I even ran a little faster with an extra hop in my step. It felt great to be recognized for something I was doing well, especially when it was something I had assumed no one else noticed.

The other day I was complimented on my posture in my spinning class by my instructor. She didn’t have to approach me before class and talk about how well I held myself, but she took a moment and gave me the compliment. And to be honest, it felt really good! Because I can’t run at the moment I am working hard to excel in the things that I can do, and knowing that I look like a biker affirms that I am reaching my fitness goals.

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Compliments can come in many forms: A stranger stopping you on the street to tell you they like your shoes, a friend telling you they really enjoyed the cookies you baked or a coworker acknowledging that you did a great job on that presentation. In whatever form they take, compliments feel good. So my challenge to you today is to go out there and give two people compliments. It’s Friday and everyone deserves to end their week on a good note.

Happy Friday and Happy Complimenting!