picture courtesy of pachd.com

The Wide-Body has been an organic gardener for a number of years. The decision to go organic was easy when I asked myself some questions and looked at certain factors. First, I asked myself, “Am I a chemist?” Did I do well in school, sure I did. But did I really know if the applications of fertilizer and pesticides were accurate and hence, harmless? No, I really didn’t. Did the idea of feeding the soil instead of feeding the plants make sense? It did, especially when I read how plans take their nutrients from the soil, how healthy soils accelerate root growth, and how chemical fertilizers don’t complete their breakdown in the soil, but instead leave salts and other residue behind. Finally, how much did the organic garden cost? Well, the first year, the yields were lower than the year before, and I was spending as much on organic products as I was on artificial. The next year, the costs decreased, and the yields increased. Greener grass, more fruit, stronger flowers, and less water used; the results were incredible. I go through that year, and life has been good.

So, I don’t tell you all that just so that you will change the fertilizer on your grass. You are probably saying, “So what do you eat?” or “Organic food is so expensive” or “Should I buy all organic food or are there times when I can buy something more conventional and be okay?” The answers…”I eat everything”, “Not always” and “Yes”.

The good news is that as organic food becomes more popular, the price delta between conventional and organic grown food is narrowing. It is basic supply and demand, and this is the first time on this blog that I used the term “price delta”. Woo-hoo, the MBA is paying off!

Watching your budget? Who isn’t? Here is a list of foods where you should spend a little more, and places where you can cut a few dollars. Full details can be found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-242-300-0-13391-0,00.html

Protein Source:
Splurge: GRASS-FED BEEF (Wide-Body note- If you find “longhorn beef” grab it. Longhorn is supposed to ONLY be grass fed, and the flavor is wonderful. My second favorite is buffalo. You need to know that there is less fat in these cuts, so if you over cook them, they will be dry. Sear the meat first, then cook to medium, not well done.
Save: DARK CHICKEN MEAT

Healthy Oils:
Splurge: VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Save: CHUNK LIGHT TUNA

Produce:
Splurge: ORGANIC PEACHES, APPLES, PEPPERS, CELERY, AND NECTARINES
Save: FROZEN PRODUCE

Snacks:
Splurge: FAIR TRADE BANANAS
Save: LARGE SNACK BAGS (Wide-Body note: Have you ever tried “Pirate Booty”. Healthy and tastes great)

Dairy:
Splurge: GREEK YOGURT
Save: REGULAR EGGS

Let’s talk about music. In particular, the music on your mp3 player that helps you get through your exercise routine.

I’ve have found that while I appreciate a variety in my music, varied genres and artists, not all music is created equal when it comes to what music that keeps you moving. For me, it has to be rock & roll, fast, big bass beat, and incredible guitars, the crunchier the sound, the better. Lyrics are a bonus, but when I run, the lyrics do not need any depth in meaning. As a matter of fact, they can have no meaning at all, as you will see below.

I have also found that my tastes run toward the 80’s rock (no hair bands!), but I have stuff from the 70’s through the 00’s. Again, the basic rule is fast, big bass beat, and great guitars. Are there some exceptions? Sure, but that is for pure personal reasons. Maybe there is a riff, a lyric, or something about the song that keeps me fired up and moving. That is hard to quantify, so it’s just a guilty pleasure.

So, let’s play the audience participation game. I’ll share with you the songs I recently loaded to my Ipod for my latest half marathon, and you tell me what you have on your mp3 player and why. Who knows, you may have something I forgot to download and vice versa.

Judas Priest  - You've Got Another Thing Comin'- This kicks off my set, and it's a great start.
Judas Priest - Breaking the Law
Judas Priest - Living After Midnight

Van Halen - Everybody Wants Some!! - The way this song starts with Alex banging the drums then Eddie jumps in with a whailing guitar. Awesome. And BTW, what was David Lee Roth saying half the? "Coo coo moo koo..." ?? LOL!
Van Halen - You Really Got Me
Van Halen - Runnin' with the Devil
Van Halen - Panama
Van Halen - Beautiful Girls
Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

Boston          Peace of Mind
Boston          Don't Look Back - Classic Rock & Roll!
Boston          More Than a Feeling
Boston          Long Time

Nickelback   Next Contestant
Nickelback   Animals - Its a love song. Really. Well, in a 17 year old boy sort of way
Nickelback    How You Remind Me

Kansas          Carry On Wayward Son

Living Colour Cult of Personality - Remember what I said about big bass beat and great guitar playing. This is it!

The Offspring  - Want You Bad - Another love song. Sort of.
The Offspring  - Why Don't You Get a Job?
The Offspring  - Gone Away
The Offspring  - Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)
The Offspring  - Self Esteem - Don't listen too closely to the lyrics. Well, go ahead, but for me, its the way they tear up the instruments is why I dig this song.

Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train

The Arc Angels Shape I'm In - What can I say, I'm an Austin guy and this is an Austin band.

The Guilty Pleasures. These work well into my running routine. Kryptonite actually has all the elements I like, but I found that the band, 3 Doors Down, doesn't consistently play at this level.

The Outfield  - Your Love
The Outfield  - Say It Isn't So
3 Doors Down  - Kryptonite
Asia         -  Heat of the Moment- The next super band of the 80's! Or not. Maybe '82-'85
Night Ranger  - Sister Christian - Parts of this are a little slow, but good drums.

You’ve decided to “break the seal”, “begin a journey”, or “create a new you” and to accomplish your goal, you’ve decided to begin running. “How hard can it be?” you ask yourself. You’ve been running since you were a kid, right? So, why is it that when you go out there and begin pounding the pavement or tearing up the local high school track, that something just doesn’t feel right? It’s not the fact that you are breathing heavy, you knew that would happen. It’s not that you are 30 pounds (or 40, or 50) overweight, everybody has to start from somewhere. It’s the fact that you don’t have a plan.

How do you know that what you are doing is effective? How do you know that you may be overtraining and setting yourself up for injury? How will you know if your “Gino’s East Pizzeria ROCKS!” t-shirt won’t solicit funny stares? (It will, but only from admirers. Chicago style pizza is the best!)

To answer these questions, you need a plan. So, do you spend hours researching for plans? No, you silly goose, the Wide-Body is here to take care of you.

Okay, so I did the research, and my trusty resource, the good folks at Runners World magazine, created a program designed for the newbie. In 10 weeks, it gets you from zero training endurance to the point where you should feel comfortable running a 5K. After that? Well, let’s just say that I can’t help it if you begin to feel good, feel stronger, begin sleeping better at night, have a better attitude about life, and start considering new goals and dreams. Oh, but wait, you wanted to make a transformation anyway! ?

The basics of the program are below. YOU NEED TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE. Don’t just launch into the plan without reading the article because there are other very wise tidbits in the article, and that wisdom will set you on the path of good and healthy exercise. May the blessings of good health be upon you and welcome to the fraternity of runners.

Details of the plan are found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-380-381-386-678-0,00.html

Each week of the program, do your run/walk workouts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and take Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday off.

10-WEEK TRAINING SCHEDULE

Week 1
Run 2 minutes,
walk 4 minutes.
Repeat 5 times.

Week 2
Run 3 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat five times.

Week 3
Run 5 minutes,
walk 2.5 minutes.
Repeat four times.

Week 4
Run 7 minutes,
walk 3 minutes.
Repeat three times.

Week 5
Run 8 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat three times.

Week 6
Run 9 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice, then
run 8 minutes.

Week 7
Run 9 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat three times

Week 8
Run 13 minutes,
walk 2 minutes.
Repeat twice.

Week 9
Run 14 minutes,
walk 1 minute.
Repeat twice.

Week 10
Run 30 minutes.

image from eatingwell.com

I really like this recipe because it is hitting all the right elements for me; its healthy, its, easy to prepare, and it is inexpensive. A real triple threat!

Cube Steak with Mushroom-Sherry Sauce

Nutrition Profile
4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Nutrition Profile
Diabetes appropriate | Healthy weight | Heart healthy | High potassium | Low calorie | Low carbohydrate | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Low sodium |

Ingredients
• 4 4-ounce cube steaks
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 cup dry sherry (see Note)
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

For cooking instructions, please click on this link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cube_steak_mushroom_sauce.html

Nutrition
Per serving: 268 calories;12 g fat (3 g sat, 7 g mono); 56 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 428 mg sodium; 684 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (37% daily value), Iron (16% dv)

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 2 fat

The idea that you could one day be overwhelmed by a complex mental challenge, yet that same challenge today is something you enjoy tackling, is something that I find frightening. Decreasing mental capacity, when recognized by those with the decreasing capacity, has to be very frustrating and unnerving.

So, I try to take on Soduku puzzles, hoping that will keep me on my mental toes. I also just read that celery can benefit the brain and stem some of the causing of mental aging.

It turns out that celery contains luteolin, a powerful anti-oxidant that can decrease inflammation within the brain’s memory center. Why is that important?

Over time, brain inflammation can interfere with memory, magnify depressed feelings, accelerate dementia, and perhaps even play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease and other aging-brain conditions. Enter luteolin. New cell studies suggest that it may mute the nerve signals that tell immune cells in the brain to release inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.

Yep. Celery, its brain food!

You can read more about this here: http://www.realage.com/tips/sharpen-your-memory-with-this-6-calorie-snack.

                                                            
The Wide-Body is investigating different plans for triathlon training, so swimming plans have caught my attention. In the January issue of Runner’s World, there is an article noting how swimming can tremendously benefit your running fitness. That sounds logical, but how does swimming help?

The resistance of water offers a cooling workout that taxes the body enough to maintain cardiovascular and muscular-skeletal fitness, while its buoyancy and zero-impact environment aids in recovery and injury prevention. A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness compared groups that did pool running with those that did tread-mill running and found virtually equal VO2 max values (aerobic capacity). Another study by California State University Northridge found that when runners cooled down in water, they reported feeling more recovered compared with when they cooled down on a treadmill.

So, where to start? Highlights are below. Go to this link for full details: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-238-263-266-13382-0,00.html

Swim Laps:
Start out with about 10 laps (back and forth across the pool equals one lap), which is slightly more than a quartermile at a typical pool. Increase your time in the water and minimize fatigue (and boredom) by sandwiching pool-running in between sets of laps.

"Run" In Water:
Running against the water's resistance, in the deep end where you can't touch, provides many of the benefits of running on land. A flotation belt will help keep you upright and give you stability. Keeping your body erect, with a slight lean, and your gaze forward, run as you normally would on land with your hands pushing back the water.
Your leg action can vary: Do high knees and march in place, bend your knee slightly and move your legs as if you were cross-country skiing, or do a more long-striding leg extension.

Water Works:
The ideal pool workout should include 30 minutes of lap swimming and 30 minutes of pool running to ensure a full-body workout, says Michael Joyner, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic. For the running segment, perform one of the interval workouts below.

Old Man Winter isn’t giving up his grip anytime soon. Some of us were lulled into a recent and brief Spring-time stupor. And then Winter slapped us back in the face and said “I’m still here!”

Got the winter chill? How about trying some chili to warm you up inside? What do you think about chili that has less fat than the traditional bowl of red? If that sounds like you something are interested in trying, then take a look at the recipe below.

WIDE-BODY NOTE: As you folks know, the Wide-Body is a born and bred Texan, and so the one dried chili pepper in this recipe just ain’t gonna cut it. Three benefits of the hot pepper: 1) it heats you up (good for the winter), 2) helps increase the metabolism, and 3) the capsaicin (the “hot” stuff) acts as an anti-inflammatory. So, don’t be shy with the peppers. If you are pepper sensitive, build up a tolerance with a little at a time.


image by Antonis Achillieos
Bean and Vegetable Chili

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 small eggplants, cubed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1 fresh or dried hot chile, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 cup canned tomato, seeded and chopped
4 cups canned kidney beans, liquid reserved
Vegetable stock as needed (about two cups)
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Cooking instructions can be found here: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303-504-13399-0,00.html

Nutritional Values
CALORIES PER SERVING: 385
CARBS: 56 G
PROTEIN: 28 G
FAT: 5 G
ZINC: 36% DV

Folks, I found this story compelling enough that I had to make a comment about it in the hopes that it can be a learning lesson for someone.

It made the national news that a 400lbs woman had to call the Houston Fire Department because she had fallen down in her apartment and broke her leg. The emergency workers were unable to remove her from her apartment until they had removed a window and part of a wall. It was later reported that because of the woman’s condition, her leg could not be saved and was amputated. http://www.click2houston.com/news/22630255/detail.html

Let’s be clear, this woman had a health condition with her feet, and over time, her weight spun out of control. This additional weight led to other health issues and ultimately the loss of her leg. It’s reported that she told neighbors that her condition was temporary, yet her weight gain continued.

It’s this last part of the story that grabs me and makes me think there is a lesson in here for a lot of us.

So, let’s leave the story of the 400lbs woman behind us. We don’t know her full story, and so I won’t begin drawing parallels with her as an example. Still, how many people have tried to explain their health conditions as “temporary”? How many have stopped looking in the mirror, convincing themselves that they will look again, “When I feel better.”? How many have convinced themselves that, “It’s just easier to stay at home. I don’t need to go outside for…(fill in the blanks)”?  Or, “I used to be in great shape, I’ll get back in shape, later.”

Folks, if you are saying this to yourself now, please stop. Stop denying yourself from being amongst the living. Stop denying yourself of the chance of living up and beyond your potential. Stop denying yourself a full life. Break out of your cage today, grab a hold of life, and tell yourself that you can make a change and you can be different. The first step is the one you take mentally, the decision to change. The next step is to seek out help.

“Help”, I wish there was a better word for what I’m talking about. The word conjures up images of “helplessness”, and clearly if you are seeking help, you are not entirely helpless. If you are seeking help, you are rationally seeking a path that leads toward strength. Be a seeker of strength, search for that path. There are many paths and guides along that path. Professional dietician, nutritionist, doctors, physical trainers, books, magazines, and websites, are chock full of the information you need to guide your journey. At the end of that path stands a new you. Please begin your journey.

The final week of February….yep, this seems like the right time to begin discussing, “So what happened to your exercise and diet plans for this new year?”

Okay, raise your hands if you are one of those people who have started a fitness routine or diet, and within three weeks (or sooner!) you find that you no longer have the time to exercise, you are frustrated by the schedule, you’re too tired, etc. Yea, me too. I have both of my hands raised.

Excuses…sometimes it’s easier to create excuses than it is to do the actual work. And if you have an honest conversation with yourself, you know that is true.

So, enough with the excuses; let’s recognize that these excuse are the things that are holding us back from achieving our goals, whether the goals are fitness, health, relationships, or life.

Let’s tackle nine of those excuses right now. The folks at Active.com have put together a list of “Excuse Busters” and I’ve provided highlights below. If any of these resonate with you, then please go here for more details:

EXCUSE: "I'll do it tomorrow ..."
EXCUSE BUSTER: Start right now.

EXCUSE: "I'm too old."
EXCUSE BUSTER: You’re never too old to start exercising. (Wide-Body note: YES, YES, YES! You are never too old)

EXCUSE: "It's useless--my genetics are working against me."
EXCUSE BUSTER: You can lose weight. It’s very rare that a person can’t lose weight (Wide-Body note: Stop being a quitter, a whiner, and a nay-bob. Get up, move around, and stop blaming others for your issues. Once you take that step to personal responsibility, you’ll realize how much better you feel about yourself and how your outlook on life improves)

EXCUSE: Cook dinner? Please! Do you have kids?
EXCUSE BUSTER: Even if you have no time to buy healthy food and cook at home, you can still make convenience and fast foods work for you.

EXCUSE: I only live once--so I might as well enjoy myself just this once. It’s not such a big deal.
EXCUSE BUSTER: Really? The truth is those “one-time” events add up.

EXCUSE: It's raining, so I can't go for my morning walk.
EXCUSE BUSTER: First of all, you’re not made of sugar, so you will not melt.

EXCUSE: I travel all the time.
EXCUSE BUSTER: If you travel often, you need to weave healthy eating and physical activity into your lifestyle. (Wide-Body note: My friend Marie is a pro at this because she is always on the road for work, and yet she runs several races (half marathons!) each year.

EXCUSE: I just had a baby.
EXCUSE BUSTER: For the first few months, if not years, the challenges of parenting can seem overwhelming, and eating healthfully may feel impossible. Instead of takeout and fast food, try preparing healthful foods over the weekend and freezing them to reheat later in the week.

EXCUSE: I'm too tired.
EXCUSE BUSTER: If you’re like most people, you’re not getting enough sleep. Research shows that lack of sleep can cause weight gain by increasing appetite.