start where you are

This is the title of latest book by Chris Gardner, who gained fame with his book and movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”. While it fits in the business/motivational/self-help section, I think it has definite connection for anyone starting a new fitness program.

How often do we use the procrastination tool of “I’ll do that when……” and deep down inside our subconscious we know that the “when “will never happen.

Or, I will get new clients who are daunted by idea that “other are skinnier/ better shape/ you name it” than I am. This I take as subtle self -excuse to not try as hard or rationalize not performing better.

I learned this lesson, years ago in my 1^st Karate school when one of the young black belts came in with couple of black eyes and puffy face.  It turns out that he met someone a notch better than him at local pool hall.  All of us younger, lower ranking belts were devastated, but the Head Sensei simply pointed out that there is always someone better than you and always someone not as good as you.

So back to title of book. We can only move on from where we are now. Improvement is a lifelong process-hopefully.  Otherwise, there would only be the top 10 front of the pack runners/cyclist/etc. out there at each event. If I compared my running to others, I would quit running and do something else, especially when I read about 81yr old runners that have a faster marathon time than me!

Now that is humbling!

So I close this post with the sage of advice of the venerable late Tai Chi Chuan teacher, Jou Tsung-Hwa

1.       Always do your best.

2.       Make a little progress every day. 

Good enough for Oprah.

Yikes! I never thought I would be using Oprah as a reference in one of my blogs. An open mind is a wonderful thing.

I am reading the old 1997 version of Runner’s World “Complete Book of Running” and it is talking about how Oprah started training to do her 1^st marathon, after hitting her weight loss goal. Her trainer did the paradoxical move of cutting back on her running mileage. Instead he put her on an intensive strength training program to ensure that her joints would be strong and healthy.

Now isn’t that the same stuff you have been hearing from Coach K forever?

it worked!

Hey y'all,
i had the unexpected chance to try out one of those weird home remedies today, I was chopping veggies and felt that terrible sensation of knife cutting through tip of finger. Of course, it bleeds massively out of proportion to the size of wound.
So i wrapped it in napkin and squeezed while getting to piece of athletic tape-the Coach K first aid kit. Then i put tape over the slice and it kept oozing blood so i sprinkled it with black pepper.
VIOLA. it stopped dripping all over the place. The clumped up black pepper looked gross , but that is way mo better that blood dripping all the kitchen.
Another victory for training more smarter.

Training for an event or just out having fun.

I came across this idea while reading Joe Bingham’s book “No Need for Speed”. Great stories of how he went from an overweight , smoking coach potato to being a “real runner”. He talks about how, after he completed his big goal of running 2 marathons in 2 weeks, he went back to “just running”.

I was struck by how profound and yet simple this concept is. Many of us (me included) athletes will fall into the constant training mentality and can eventually get burned out if there is no event on the schedule. When I started doing events a few years ago, I could have something lined up each weekend from the mix of triathlons, cycling, and Ultras. It was exciting and somewhat addicting. Now that I have stepped away in 2011 to start a business and heal up from knee surgery, I have a whole new perspective.

I am not getting paid buckets of money to go to these events and I can only wear so many T-shirts. So as a result, I have become more selective in which events I go to. And feel that each event should have a specific purpose to accomplish. Will it be something to try out short distance at a fast speed, or mountains in the desert or running above altitude? They all are different and all are good things. But, each one has a different training program involved.

Perhaps, just as important is the new idea of taking off in between event “just to run/cycle/swim” for the fun of it. This is a great mental flush and when I do go back to training for an event, I feel fresher and more focused.  The sense that the training has a definite end result and purpose is great. I can push hard, do the appropriate planning and know that after the event is over; I will have recovery time and can relax for a while.

Simple tips for making your food choices.

I have clients asking me all the time “Coach, what should I eat?” I do not like giving out a verbatim cookbook with each daily meal planned out for the week. I prefer to teach my clients to think-Yes; I know it is so much easier to just follow the cookbook. So look at these ideas. But remember, at Coach K fitness, we train smarter.

1.      Calorie Density: this is the amount of calories that is in a serving or portion of food. So a serving of a Cheeseburger is going to be many times denser than a serving of spinach. And that tiny, yummy bit of Feta Cheese on your salad is probably more calories than all the lettuce in the bowl. Yes, I know it isn’t fair. This is a big problem for most of us, as those calorie dense foods can taste great, come in small packages and take a lot to get that “full “feeling. So by the time you feel done, you have 3 meals worth of calories consumed. YIKES.

2.      Nutritional Density: This is usually the flip side of calorie density. If we go back to the cheeseburger and spinach comparison, you will find the spinach with its puny little calorie total being packed with good nutrients and the cheeseburger having lots of fat and a few good thing for you.

So now you need to learn how to mix the best of both worlds. Yes, it will not be easy and many times you may have to use one of those websites that let you track your meals on a daily basis. With a little practice, you will discover the calorie bombs, learn to read food packages better and most importantly adjust your taste buds and portion serving behaviors.

GOOD LUCK.

Carbs are not bad.

Read that a couple times and let it sink into your brain.

This post is an attempt to stop the anti-carb craze that is still around and sadly still part of the athletic community.

 I can go take a pack of demon white sugar and gulp it down and still be ok. Yes, I know that sounds like blasphemy to many athletes and people trying to lose weight.

While indulging in a pack of demon white sugar may not be the best thing, it is relatively harmless and if I am at mile 20 of an Ultra marathon, it may be a good thing.  However, eating several packs of demon white sugar during the day is definitely a bad thing.

Remember, moderation is a wonderful thing. A glass of wine can be good for your heart health, but drinking the whole bottle is bad (especially the next day).

This subject came up while talking with a client about her daughter who was trying the “Palleolithic Diet” that is the new rage and espoused by certain fitness franchises.  YIKES.

ANY respectable registered dietician and sports nutrition specialist will tell you that an endurance athlete needs carbs. Those dangerous HCG and Atkins type diets may work briefly for people that sit at a desk all day, but are pure poison for any athlete. Your body was not designed to burn “pure fat” and will produce a condition called KETOSIS which can be fatal. Ask any diabetic about it. So why would you want to induce a type of pseudo diabetes in your body?? And when your body is looking for glucose to run your entire nervous system (which will not utilize fat) it will break down healthy muscle tissue and then reconfigure the amino acids. Does that sound healthy?  DUH!

Yes, I agree that most Americans need to burn off some surplus fat, and YES, you do not need those GU packs on a 5K run; but we do need to keep our muscle glycogen at a proper level in order to train effectively.

What can be simpler than EAT A BALANCED DIET and EAT SENSIBILY?

So just remember fad diets are bad and at Coach K fitness we train smarter.