Monday, September 30, 2013

Intuitive Eating

Posted by Anonymous
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Awhile back I stumbled across this website called Intuitive Eating. I was drawn in by its name and soon became glued to what this website had to say. The authors of this website are Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch. Their goal is to help individuals create a healthy relationship with food, mind and body. Check it out for more information.

In today's society with a lot of unrealistic influence through the media and what not… it’s so difficult to be happy with ourselves and have a healthy relationship with food. There are sooo many fad diets out there that will make you loose weight instantly (or they claim that anyways), we try them, lose the weight and then just as quickly as we lost it, we put it back on. All of this crazy dieting is what creates the unhealthy relationship with food. What we really need is just to eat healthy, exercise and not be afraid to indulge now and then. Well, this is all easier said than done and takes a lot of training with the mind.. On this website they share what the 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating are. I just wanted to share a few of those with you today that hit home for me.

1. Reject the Diet Mentality Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet stopped working and you gained back all of the weight. If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.

2. Honour Your Hunger Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Otherwise you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant. Learning to honour this first biological signal sets the stage for re-building trust with yourself and food.

3. Make Peace with Food Call a truce, stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you tell yourself that you can't or shouldn't have a particular food, it can lead to intense feelings of deprivation that build into uncontrollable cravings and, often, bingeing When you finally “give-in” to your forbidden food, eating will be experienced with such intensity, it usually results in Last Supper overeating, and overwhelming guilt.

4. Respect Your Fullness Listen for the body signals that tell you that you are no longer hungry. Observe the signs that show that you're comfortably full. Pause in the middle of a meal or food and ask yourself how the food tastes, and what is your current fullness level?

5. Respect Your Body Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally as futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectation with body size. But mostly, respect your body, so you can feel better about who you are. It's hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic and overly critical about your body shape.

I am not sure how many of you out there can relate to any of these principles but for me it was bang on and I have really applied a lot of this to my life in the past year and half. I started running about two and half years ago and that was the beginning of overcoming some really unrealistic expectations of myself. Stumbling across this information was the rest of what I needed to help me be more realistic with myself. Not that I am completely in the right place yet but very well on my way.

We can not all look the same or be the same. We were all individually created and each have our own uniqueness that we should embrace and be proud of.

Over the weekend, I was finally able to get out for a nice ride on my new ride!

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After a nice 30 km (18.75 m) I decided that the bike will do and that my butt was pretty sore!!

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I hope everyone had a great weekend and that Monday treats you well!

What was something you did over the weekend that was different?

Sunday, September 29, 2013

3 Cheap Runners' Weekend Wrap

Posted by CheapRunnerMike

While the 3 Cheap Runners enjoy their day off, here are a few of the happenings that caught their eyes during the past week...

 

Links we Liked

  • The half-marathon runner that ended up winning the full marathon
  • 10 races to do before you die
  • Don't mess up your marathon prep with a bad taper
  • I know we all hate the 'J' word, but here are 5 ways the movies portray us 'joggers'
  • For anyone wanting to actually run Boston (and not just qualify), you need to better your BQ by 1:38

 

This Week's CheapRunners' Posts

 

In case you missed a day...

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Snapshot Saturday

Posted by CheapRunnerMike
Enjoy some photos snapped by the 3CheapRunners this week as seen on Instagram.
 
 



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Friday, September 27, 2013

Taper of Terror

Posted by CheapRunnerMike

Getting ready for the taper this weekend as Chicago is just over two weeks away now.  I'm debating how far to run this weekend…I'm going back and forth between a 15 mile run as a final long run or some Yasso 800's to try and get an idea of how I might do for the marathon.  I think I'm leaning towards the Yasso's…if you don't know what they are it is basically 10 800 metre intervals run as fast as your legs will let you, with 400m breaks in between.  When you are done you take the average of your 10 800m intervals (say 3:22) and that is a very good indicator of what your marathon time will be, only in hours and minutes instead of minutes and seconds, so a 3 hour 22 minute marathon time in this example.  I don't have a track to run on this weekend, but I'll be up at the cottage where there are some nice long roads that will do just fine.  This marathon stuff is all new to me, so if you have any advice on what I should do heading into my taper feel free to share in the comments below.

I have another job on my list while at the cottage this weekend…Kennedy is going to bring up her sewing machine and my Mum we will make up my costume for next weekend's Disney Tower of Terror 10-Miler run.  I'm going to roll with a do-it-yourself superhero of my own creation, that way no one will be able to judge how good/bad my costume is.  Pictures will follow, don't worry…I know you'll be jealous.

Speaking of the race next weekend, all three of us CheapRunners are getting really excited for it.  Michelle and I both love Disney and I have been checking out all kinds of stuff for us to do while we are down there.  I found a great site with all kinds of tips, reviews and suggestions and I highly recommend checking it out if you have a trip coming up to the 'Happiest Place on Earth'.  Tom Bricker blogs over at Disneytouristblog.com and he really knows his stuff.  He's isn't a runner, but he does have a review of his experience at last year's inaugural Tower of Terror 10-Miler (his first…and maybe last… race ever).

For any of you that love race bling, here's what we'll get after next weekend's race…pretty cool I think.

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I'm excited because the race finishes up at Hollywood Studios, and you get to run through the park.  Once the race is done, the park remains open for runners until 4am (the race starts at 10pm).  I'm also going to take the race pretty easy…no sense risking injury a week before my goal race, at a Disney race no less.  I'm going to run with my phone so I should be able to get plenty of good pics during a race for once!  Here are the routes we get to take through Hollywood Studios as well as ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, which I've never been to.  We get to run the baseball diamond there which is the Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves.

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It's nice to have a fun run to look forward to and distract myself from going stir-crazy during my taper.  The travel will actually force me to relax and take things easy…another margarita poolside?  Why yes please :)

The weather this week started out nice and cool, but has warmed up a bit the last couple days making the runs a bit more sweaty.  Still feeling really good out there though and enjoying my time on the paths.  Here's a selfie before Declan complains that my post was incomplete without one…

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And I will leave y'all with a little picture Michelle found that made all three of us laugh…it seems like all bloggers these days are fixin' to get more pumpkin in their lives these days, so here's some food for thought.

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Pumpkin pie used to be one of my favourites too…

Any taper tips to share?  Yasso's or 15 miles?

Hands up if you're a Disney lover!

I never went as a kid, but I'm hooked…so much fun with the kids there, and looking forward to our first runDisney event!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

When in Doubt - Take it Out

Posted by CheapRunnerMichelle

Well friends we've made it past hump day this week! The other day I mentioned that I should "think" about packing...well for anyone that actually knows me it will be no surprise that I actually have not thought at all about it yet...I mean after all I'm not leaving until 6:30am tomorrow :)

I am fortunate that with my job sometimes I get to travel - and although it's certainly not a vacation - I do get to go to a few of my favourite cities a few times a year. Tomorrow morning bright and early I am heading to Chicago for 5 days.
If you have never been to Chicago before you need to put it on your travel bucket list - it is such a great clean city full of culture and the shopping isn't too shabby either.

Before I leave tomorrow though, I need to make sure that I am pretty organized before I go, because upon my return next week I am only home for a day and a half before us 3cheaprunners head to Disney for our first race there!!!!!! (We are beyond excited)

So I thought today I would go over a few travel packing tips with ya'll.

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1. The first thing I always start with is checking the weather for the duration/destination of my trip. This helps cut down on your urge to over pack. You'll know what type of clothing is going to be most important to pack

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2. Make a list. I like to make a list of things that I can't pack until last minute - such as phone charger, iPad, passport, any toiletries I want to take etc. This will help ensure that you don't forget something that you are going to need on your trip.

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3. Lay outfits out before you pack. Count out the # of days you will be gone and plan for that only! Again this will help you not over pack - you really do not need to have your entire closet at your disposal while you are away

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4. Pick pieces to pack that you are able to mix and match. This may be a shocker - but it's totally fine to re-wear a piece on your trip! Also pick items that can be multi-functional like a scarf or a blazer.

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5. Make sure to take some sort of bag that you can place all your "wash me" delicates like your socks and underwear. This should eliminate you having to do the sniff test to see if what you have left in your suitcase is clean or dirty ;)

6. And finally...when in doubt - take it out. No point in packing things for those "just in case" situations. Wouldn't you rather have a little room to bring back some items from your trip?!?

And I just couldn't resist this little gem:

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What's one of your favourite cities to visit?


Any other tips we should add to this list?

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

September Stride Box Review and a Party

Posted by Anonymous

Good morning all! Hope everyone has a superfantastic day!

Sooo… September’s Stride Box…

Fuel 100 – Electo Bites (Salty Vanilla)

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The product was designed by the company founders by a desire to fuel their runs with something other than gels and sweet products.

I love salty things more than sweet things so I am pumped to try this product.

Happy Squeeze (COCO Orange Mango)

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This is a 100% organic product made with coconut milk and full of vitamins and minerals.

There were 2 of these in the box but I already had one last night! It was delish!! I definitely recommend!

EBOOST (Orange)

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This is a drink mix loaded with green tea, vitamins and super nutrients and comes in several different flavours.

AeroShot Energy – Air based energy shot (Green Apple)

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For a quick burst of B vitamins and Caffeine to energize your workout.

I have never heard of this idea or this product so it should be interesting to try!

PROBAR Bolt – Energy Chews (Orange)

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Energy chews that are organic, and gluten-free!

NOW - A3 Bar (Honey Graham Smores)

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Energy bar that is great for a recovery snack or a quick treat between runs.

Yes, that’s right, it’s SMORES! Yum!

That is September’s Stride Box. I wasn't all that excited when I first saw all the products but when I started reading about them I changed my mind.

If you want to know more about Stride Box check it out here.

Saturday night Sister C had a surprise Birthday party for Sister B’s 30th! We started off with a lovely 5 course catered meal with just a few people, than carried on after with a whole bunch more people. Here are a few pics for a recap.

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It was a lot of fun and the birthday girl had a great night!

I am not going to lie though, at one point, I did get away for some quiet time… I am not always a people person or maybe it’s just the large group thing…

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What about you? People person?

Large groups? Or small groups?

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Quick Runs and Quick Draws

Posted by CheapRunnerMike

It was another encouraging week of running and I capped things off on Sunday with a really good 10-mile run.  I set off without a real route in mind and ended up getting lost in my own city…highly recommended by the way!  At one point the path was washed out because of all the rain we've had lately so I got off the beaten path and ended up in an unfamiliar neighbourhood.  I had a rough idea where I was but it was new territory.  I ended up exploring some new areas and it was a cool way to see the city.

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My runs this past week have been the quickest they have been in a while.  I wish I knew why that was but  I can't really say for sure.  I have been actively watching what I'm eating, and cutting back on a lot of the snacks (and beer)…this has got me within one measly pound of where I want to be for Chicago.  Maybe the little reduction in weight has contributed to faster runs without the extra effort?  Seems logical I guess…

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Not too many Guinness' these days unfortunately

Kennedy is a real art lover…she loves drawing!  I was the same way when I was her age and I try to encourage her to draw.  When we were at Disney last Fall, Kennedy and I loved going to the Animation Academy at Hollywood Studios where they would teach you how to draw various Disney characters.  We did a few characters there last year and got to spend some really good time together doing something simple that we both enjoyed.  On Saturday afternoon we had decided to do a drawing lesson of our own…Kennedy got to pick out a character she would like to learn how to draw and I would teach her how to go about drawing said character.  To nobody's surprise, she chose Captain Jack Sparrow.  We spent close to an hour working on our drawings and the results turned out great!

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We did another drawing last night, a Minion from Despicable Me, and Jackson wanted to get in on the fun so I did Captain Hook with him.  Something tells me I'll be sharpening a lot of pencils over the next few months!

One last bit of good news…I have found a new coffee shop just down the road from my office.  It is a local shop and they roast all their own coffee.  I've had quite a few cups already and have yet to be disappointed.  I've sampled their Panama, Peru, Sumatra, Hawaiian and Ethiopian and all have been excellent.  If you a a Londoner or happen to find yourself in town, do yourself a favour and try out Fireroasted Coffee Company!  Great coffee and a cool little shop. 

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Do you prefer your coffee local or corporate?

I really like my Starbucks, but the local shops are good too and my coffee dollars stay in the community

Do you draw with your kids?

Monday, September 23, 2013

Random Fall Weekend

Posted by CheapRunnerMichelle

Ugh...Monday already...although I guess I don't really have much to complain about - since I'm off today - and home with my favourite little man.

Friday night Rhoda was super duper nice and offered to watch the kids for us so that Mike and I could go out together

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We decided on Jack Astor's. It was a nice treat to be able to go on a date together; as after a super busy month in September we had not really spent much time together - so Friday night was nice to be able to just reconnect - thanks again Rhodes!!!!

...but don't you worry the CheapRunners were united after dinner for some really good bonding time

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I'm back to working Saturday's now; which this week turned out good that I was there - I had 2 super crazy customers that I had to deal with. Don't you wonder sometimes how people make their way through life...and how some people could possibly have friends?!?

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The last bridesmaid that I had to deal with on Saturday was unbelievable - it's amazing the things that some people say to other human beings and think it's ok, and that they (as in me) just have to take it 'cause they are the customer...and I am there to merely serve them...ugh such arrogance sometimes I tell ya. Ok rant over...last move on.

After dinner on Saturday night we wanted to go something fun with the kids, so we went and bought UNO and came home and had a family game night. It was fun to teach Jackson a game he can play and understand, and it was nice to just sit around the table and interact with each other and most importantly creating family memories for our children. I strongly believe that they as they grow up they are not going to remember all the toys and "stuff" we did or didn't buy for them, rather what's going to stick with them are the adventures (travelling) or the time just spent together as a family - I am all about creating the memories for them!

After a pretty busy Sunday...K and I had hair appointments on Sunday night...so off we went for our new fall do's

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I have no idea what is going on with my twisted sweatshirt

Mike and I ended our night like old farts watching a black and white 1960's episode of Perry Mason

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File that under #yesweareoldsouls

We bought a homemade apple pie candle the other night - so they house is smelling like fall!...well I guess I should probably (since I'm at home today) start thinking about packing...more on that on Wednesday...have a great day friends!

What's your favourite fall scent?

Anyone have any crazy customer stories to share?!?

Sunday, September 22, 2013

3 Cheap Runners' Weekend Wrap

Posted by CheapRunnerMike

While the 3 Cheap Runners enjoy their day off, here are a few of the happenings that caught their eyes during the past week...

 

Links we Liked

  • What your body goes through on a 30-minute run
  • Thinking about a marathon? 3 reasons not to run 26.2
  • Ultra marathoner Rocky Balboa? His Rocky II run mapped out in real life
  • Is this really the Slowest Generation? WSJ says so...
  • This video is how CRMike is sure to feel the day after the Chicago Marathon

 

This Week's CheapRunners' Posts

 

In case you missed a day...

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Snapshot Saturday

Posted by CheapRunnerMike
Enjoy some photos snapped by the 3CheapRunners this week as seen on Instagram.
 
 



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