May 2012 – Page 3 – Betsy Schow

Mirror Image

I decided to hijack my own blog. I’m taking over Dress for Success. Why? Because it’s my blog and I can do what I want.

Really though, its because sometimes I want to share more of me and less of the how to. Sometimes I just want to have an honest discussion about something. And today’s discussion would be what I see when I stand in front of the mirror.

I see lumps and bumps and flaps of skin. Sags here, old stretch marks there. I see flaws that can be tucked, squished, or camouflaged by a well made pair of jeans. I’m absolutely positive that if anyone saw me in the buff, they would run screaming.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who’s the fairest of them all? I can say unequivocally that I have never once thought it was me. Not when I was fat, not now that I’m un-fat.

In the rational part of my head I know that I’m ok being exactly who I am. But the emotional part of my head feels differently. I’ve lost 75 pounds. My pant size has shrunk from 16/18 to 4/6. The evidence all points to the fact that I should be happy and ecstatic with how I look. And maybe half the time I am. But the other half, including in front of the mirror, I still wish I was different. There will always be something that can be smaller, tighter, and um… higher.

The problem is absolutely not with my body, it’s in my brain. And even though I have made great strides in my life, it takes a long time to overcome 30 years of bad self-imagery. I always had a number in my head. And if only I could reach that number on the scale, then I would be happy. Pretty.

In case you haven’t guessed, there is no magic number. How often have we heard celebrity stories of plastic surgery gone awry? They had something nipped or sculpted, hoping to feel better, but they are still the same person underneath. If we feel unworthy, it has a lot less to do with the outside, than what we are feeling on the inside. Even supermodels look in the mirror and cringe.

I don’t have the answer. I just wanted to share, because this is something that I still struggle with. And you know what, it’s ok to struggle. The word indicates a fight. I’m fighting to feel better about my body and myself as a person. It’s not a fight I’m going to win in the gym by toning up to 2% body fat. It will be a battle of wills to retrain the way I think about beauty and worth.

Today it starts with looking in the mirror and finding one thing I absolutely love. It’s my collarbone. I’m not going to let my eyes or thoughts wander any further down.

Baby steps. It’s a process.

Snack Smart: Breakfast

I am not a morning person. Truth be told, I rarely have enough time to do more than run a comb through my hair and brush my teeth.

In the old days I would grab a bite to eat on the way to wherever I was headed. As you might expect, this included donuts, cinnamon rolls, and whatever came in the bag from the drive thru.

Now, even in a hurry I have time for a quick, much healthier bite. My favorites to rotate are greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey. Or a cup of cottage cheese with berries on top. Either one is packed with protein, so I am left feeling full all morning.

If you are not a dairy person, still try to find something with protein. Kashi Go Lean is good. Or an egg.

Fitness Tip: Which exercise burns the most calories?

The title of this post asks a question: Which exercise burns the most calories?

The answer is simple. And it’s the same no matter what new fangled gadgets come out or what experts say.

The exercise that burns the most calories is the one you actually do.

If you feel cheated, I apologize, but its true. Running burns more calories than riding the cycle. But if you hate to run, then what are the odds you’ll keep doing it?

The only way to lead an active life is to enjoy it. Back in the old days, I would go the gym for an hour and kill myself trying to burn as many calories as humanly possible. Of course I was so sore for the rest of the week that I couldn’t make myself get back there. So guess how long that lasted. Not long. Then it was back to riding the couch.

Generally, it’s pretty hard to do something for the rest of your life that makes you miserable. Find something you enjoy. Something you’ll look forward to. A walk, a hike, a bike ride. Maybe a zumba class or yoga.

Doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you keep doing it. And that’s how you’ll burn the most calories.

The Long Run: Pace yourself

Ok, I know. I’m late. I meant to post yesterday, but life got away from me. Which kind of inspired this post anyway. So serendipitous.

This morning I had a great run with Chrisy Ross, an author and running bud of mine. It was 19 miles. Unlike the last race, I did take it nice and slow. Averaging about 11:00 minute mile. By the end I wasn’t all that tired. My leg kids hurt, but not too bad.

I learned with my running what I’m having trouble doing in my life. Pace myself.
If only life came with one of those spiffy Garmin watches that I use in running. Then just like I can tell when I am going too fast, I could see when I am doing too much.

I have a lot on my plate right now. And sadly it doesn’t contain enough dessert in my opinion.
I’m training for the Utah Valley marathon. I’m working on becoming a Certified Yoga instructor. I go back to University this semester. I am trying to finish a new book. I am doing editorial revisions for the two books I’ve already sold to the publisher. And those are the big things. There’s also two little kids that like to be fed from time to time and a house that might get buried under laundry if I don’t act fast.

Point is, I am trying to go faster than my feet can carry me- to use a running metaphor. So what to do? RUN SLOWER!

Did every mile still get run today? Yup. Was it a little slower than normal? Yup. Do I feel a lot better than if I’d run it top speed? Big Yup.

So can I get everything on my to-do list done? Yup. Will it take a little longer than I want? Yup. Will I feel better if I’m not running (sorry for the pun) myself ragged everyday with no break? Big Yup.

Now I just need to reread this post everyday as a reminder 🙂

Exercise for the Soul: Yoga

So one of the things currently topping my To Finish list is getting certified to be an instructor in Yoga.

Yoga is something I discovered on my path to fitness and I fell in love. Yes that’s right, I tolerate running, but for me, yoga is an exercise I actually look forward to doing. And it is exercise. I can get more sore doing some practices of yoga than running 5 miles.

The word yoga is the Sanskrit to English translation, meaning yoke. To unite or join. That’s the purpose of yoga, to bind your mind and body together- working together in harmony.

I enjoy the idea of an endless path. There is no true mastery of yoga, no ideal end result. Just the journey and enjoying wherever you happen to be on it. If you can’t touch your toes, its ok. Just grab onto whatever you have. Try to inch a little farther each week.

What a great metaphor for life. There is no ideal end result that says, Yes this was the perfect example of a life well lived. All we can ask for in life is to do our best, and hope that gets a little better each day.

In the coming weeks, I want to share the poses I am learning. I would invite you to try them and find a community yoga class near you. You won’t regret it.

Potpourri: Breath through your nose

I always hated it when teachers would tell me to breath through my nose. My sinuses suck, and its just hard. Why should I. Is mouth breathing so faux-pas? Do I have bad breath?

Turns out, the fitness teachers weren’t just being obnoxious, just obtuse. Maybe they had no idea either.

Breathing through your nose makes the oxygen reach your blood stream faster. Thereby oxygenating your muscles you are trying to work and stretch. Making the workout easier and less likely to get injured. Breathing out through the nose also rids the bad air faster.

Huh.. who knew?

Dress for Success: Running Shoes

Did you know that running shoes have an expiration date? Now before you go checking the label, I don’t mean literally. Every shoe has a limited number of miles in them before they become a liability. As you’ve porbably guessed, higher quality shoes tend to get more miles, around 450 miles total. Cheap bargain shoes rarely make it to 300. But there are exceptions. Just because its spendy, doesn’t mean its made well.

When your shoes have given up the ghost so to speak, you are more prone to get injured. Knee problems, ankle problems. etc. This stems from the wear patterns and decreased shock absorption.

So how do you know when your shoes should be laid to rest? Do you wait until the rubber is falling off? Here’s the easiest ways to tell:

Do your legs feel a little more beat up then normal?

If you grab the top and bootom of your shoe, does it twist easily? (meaning the center of the sole has broken down. )

Is the tread really worn on one side, making the shoe tilt?

Is it just not comfy anymore?

Yep, you are the best barometer. If it doesn’t feel good, get a new shoe. Otherwise, you might be at risk for overuse injuries. A heavier person will need to replace their shoes more often. I know, its not fair. Tell me about it. Light little waifs can get away with every 450 miles or so.

Keep track of your miles, and really start to pay attention around mile 300.

Another good tip is to find a shoe you like, then buy a spare set. Rotate. Makes them last longer.

And never wear new shoes to a race. Just saying.

Snack Smart: Kale Chips

Ok, so I am attempting to live a greener life. Aside from a salad, I had no clue how to do this.

My friend, Tres Hatch helped me discover Kale chips. Hers were much better than mine, but I’m working on it.

First, buy a bunch of kale at the grocery store. They are the leafy things hotels stick on everything to make it look pretty. And yes it’s edible. Tip* shake out the water before you buy it. Weighs less, costs less.

Next go home and preheat the over to 350.

Now wash, and strip all the leaves off the stem. The stem is bitter and nasty.

Throw in a bowl with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and kosher salt. I way over salted mine. More than a pinch,. less than a handful.

Toss and then lay out on a cookie sheet.

Throw them in the the preheated oven for around 30 minutes.

Voila. Tasty Potato chip substitute.