"Stickin it" to the (Wo)man

I want to flag an amazing initiative that I have recently discovered, and one which I implore each and every one of you (male or female) to consider checking out, or even just cheering on:

OPERATION BEAUTIFUL
The objective of this operation is to start encouraging others to see their beauty (inside and out) through the use of anonymously posted stickies. Check out the link above to read the great notes that people have been leaving at gyms, work places, homes, grocery stores, coffee shops.. everywhere!

(Mine up above says "Look in the mirror and celebrate! You are beautiful!)

I cannot stress enough how strongly I believe in paying forward the knowledge and inspiration that comes our way. I have felt transformed in these past few months just by sharing in the ideas and encouragement shared by amazing women whose examples and suggestions have helped me (and probably many other women) to carve out a more bilateral feedback loop between my mind and body. I have never felt happier in my skin or more energized than I do now that I have finally learned to let good health come from the inside, out.

Wherever you are on this lovely summer day, I hope that the breeze of empowement flutters through your mind and reminds you that all of your needs and wishes are at heart's centre.

Making virtues of vices

Friends -

I would feel like a broken record if I confessed (yet again) to being negligent with my blog - which I so adore - but I have to entertain the risk, and thank you all for commenting and visiting and following along.

These past months, I have explored the familiar and the novel, as I've travelled forward in life, though it seems back in time, working and schooling in Ottawa. With a wedding around the corner and big goals to decorate my days, I have perhaps treaded on the indulgent side of "busy" and am now rethinking the density of my schedule. It has been a difficult decision, but I've decided not to take a second summer course, and that is because..

(drum roll please...)

ironandirun.com is just around the corner from its official launch! So while my absence from this blog has been due to hectic schedule, it has also been so that I can make of this blog, something much more creative, enjoyable and digestible. I hope you will all continue to visit until we switch over to the new site.

In the meantime, here are some words that echoed through my mind, as I have found myself in a deeply introspective mood lately...

"Two things awe me most, the starry sky above me and the moral law within me"
-Kant

The Soundtrack of my Life

A few weeks ago, I wrote in the Gauntlet on "Musical Pharmacology", and lately have been so smitten with Beethoven Sonatas, that I felt it was time (at last) to take a cue from my old pal Nate Green, whose neat blog post entitled "From A to Z on my iPod" has inspired me to share some of the music that populates my playlist.

I used to have one earphone permanently implanted in my ear, but I have gone through the past few years of life savouring music as an endeavor in itself. But hey, I still like to fire up the old iPod for a soundtrack to bus rides to work, and training.

Without further ado:

A
Arcade Fire

B
Beethoven - All Piano Sonatas (Especially Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement and Pathetique Sonata 1st Movement, performed by Daniel Barenboim)

C
The Clash

D
Daft Punk
Death Cab for Cutie

E
Eliot Smith - Miss Misery

F
Frou Frou

G
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

H
Howard Shore - Lord of the Rings Soundtrack

I
Imogen Heap
India Arie

J
Jay-Z (The Black Album)
Jamiroquai

K
K-os

M
Many Chao

N
Notorious BIG

O
OutKast

P
The Postal Service

Q
Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest)

R
Rachmaninoff

S
Talvin Singh

T
A Tribe Called Quest

U
The Urge

V
Viktor Vaughn
Vivaldi

W
None!

Z
Zero7

Preserve the Species Campaign

Before I launch into a fairly fun post on my favourite training music (aka my POWER play list), I want to share a brief story with you.

There is a field hockey team in the CIS whose funding has been cut. This team sets the bar very high indeed, for community involvement, for hours of training on the field and in the gym, and most of all, for commitment to excellence. The threat of losing this team impacts the whole of the Alberta field hockey community and high school programs, as well as the very existence of our sport at the university level.

This is my team, the University of Calgary Dinos. We have launched a campaign, spearheaded by out amazing Alumni, called Preserve the Species. If you are interested in contributing to this cause (admittedly my proximity bias may come in to play) I think you may find that it is one of the best investments you ever make, toward supporting youth empowerment.

Please visit the Dinos FHC site to learn more and to support our efforts to keep our program alive and thriving.

Thanks!

A Calorie by Any Other Name..

I cannot account for my absence with any sensational stories, but I do have something pretty faboo to share. A revolution just occured in my kitchen; a collision of recipes by 2 of my sidebar recipe goddesses (yeah, her and her) yielded something that trips the taste fantastic.

And so, without a word further about the zillion other things that I would normally allow to steer my focus astray, I present to you:

KCal Bars (Since they've already been called "Energy bars" elsewhere)
1 tablespoon oil (or the same amount of butter will do)
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts
1 cup chopped raw almonds
handful (each) raisins and cranberries (unsulphered)
2/3 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 1/4 cup barley flakes (or rolled oats)
1 1/2 cup crisp brown rice cereal (or your cereal of choice)
1/2 c agave nectar (though you could try using honey, brown rice syrup, etc)
1/2 c almond butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

Toast all nuts and coconut on a baking sheet for about 5-7 minutes, or until coconut is profoundly golden (I did this at 350F).

In the meantime, gather barley flakes, cereal, raisins and cranberries in a large bowl. When nuts and coconut are sufficiently toasted, dump them into the big bowl as well.

In a small saucepan, over scant medium heat, combine the agave nectar, almond butter, vanilla and sea salt, stirring constantly. As soon as the mixture begins to boil (this takes under 5 minutes) pour molten heaven over big bowl of dry ingredients and stir until everything appears evenly coated.

Transfer mixture to a lightly greased pan (I just used grapeseed oil) and press in the mixture with wet fingertips. I used a small square pan, I think 8x8 for thicker bars. Allow to cool to room temperature and then cut bars into desired size.

I defer to my modest lexical empowerment to describe the amazingness of these bars, but since a visual is often helpful, please refer to my poorly taken photograph:

Treasures in your own Backyard?

I can't help but think (if only I got paid to think!) that in this constant quest to simulate better and more efficient periodization models, sophisticated program design and even peri-workout nutrition, that we've somehow managed to forget that the best workouts, the most fulfilling and potentially even some of the most demanding athletic endeavors are waiting for us, in our own backyards.

As an athlete, I am constantly striving to match my stimulus with recovery, and lately, have been thinking about my fitness future, once I've hung up my competitive field hockey stick. I've been frequenting the gym for almost 10 years (since I was just 15!) and wonder, how it can be that I've come to value my training environment as something other than my natural environment. You see, Manski and I have been snowshoeing and soaking in as much of the mountains and snow as we can, and I have found that the demands of blazing your own trail in the snow, of bouldering through huge rocks, and even decelerating down steep climbs incredibly rewarding.

Am I advocating a switch from gym-life to full-on outdoorsing? Not entirely, but I do think that most of us could merit from a more integrated approach to wellness. The benefits of exploring the landscape around you go far beyond the aesthetics of the land; they include variety in movement patterns, fresh air, a sense of connectedness and respect for one's environment, physical/athletic challenges and a wondrous sense of escape from city life.

Also, I encourage one and all to scope out Iron Radio, a brand new and really fascinating compilation of leisurely (but incredibly well informed) discussions on all manner of topics related health and fitness/nutrition. For serious information, or tongue-in-cheek podcasts on unique and thought-provoking subject matter, I definitely recommend checking it out!

My Top Eight of 2008

My to dream/to do list for 2009 has been an excellent instrument for reflecting on the learning and changes that have decorated the past year. The path my life has taken is beyond anything I could have imagined...no small feat, as I have always been a self-proclaimed big dreamer. If I had to pick an overarching theme for the take-home messages of 2008, I would say that this was the year of the blossom. Just the right balance of light and darkness, nourishment, water, rest and stimulus, has enriched every domain, every aspect of my life. So, dear readers, here are the stand-out lessons of 2008:

1. Since you need to be an idiot before you can be a master, be a proud idiot.
Starting a new project, tackling a new adventure, taking a new course, no matter the undertaking, we all have to start somewhere. Something I have had to work very hard at, is accepting my starting point. Being at a new university, in an entirely new field, enabled me to realize that whether you learn things quickly or not, wherever you are in the moment is just fine. Does this mean that we should settle for mediocrity or half-baked knowledge? Definitely not. But it does mean that whether you have 100lbs to lose before you feel healthy, or 7 years of course work before you can call yourself Dr., where you are right now, is exactly where you are meant to be, and your propensity for learning only gets better, the more you see yourself as a magnet for new ideas.


2. Seek mentors.
Have you stumbled across a life-changing book, or someone with your dream job? Is there an athlete at your facility who runs or lifts with more power and passion than anyone you know?
In my experience, people are so willing to give of themselves and their time to help others, that approaching or emailing someone who inspires you nearly always yields a reward (for both parties)! My mentors started out as people I contacted simply to express my gratitude for their example or contribution to some domain. I never imagined at the time, that some of these people would become mentors with whom I am in close contact, and am able to ask for advice. Really great mentors not only share their successes, but aren't afraid to share their mistakes.


3. Anything you love enough to do for free, you can do for money (and vice versa).
If you are serious about creating a career that embodies your talents and genuine interests, then a good first step is to seek out a volunteer opportunity that not only offers training and networking/mentorship opportunities, but functions as a probationary period in which you can more realistically assess the direction and intentions of your path. Volunteering can lead to being hired, or can lead you to other organizations and opportunities for employment. Don't be afraid to do what you love for free (on a time budget that you can afford) as a means toward doing it for money.
Amazingly enough, the opposite is true as well. If you possess a unique gift or deliver a special service, capitalize on opportunities to offer it to those in need.
In my experience with coaching and writing, I have found that true professionalism flows from one's way of life.


4. Do not fear your own power
One of my good friends told me (starting many years ago) that when I finally realized my power, that I would be a real force. A big part of knowing your power is learning to synchronize focus with calm. In particular, I've started to crack my code in sport, and am finding myself hitting new personal bests on the field, on the track, in the gym..everywhere. Meditation is a great tool, and eventually, you can even take a split second break to meditate in the middle of a game, exam or meeting, to regain your calm and laser focus. In life, getting your head around your power has a lot to do with being process-oriented. The fear of success or failure can be diverted with presence of mind. If you stay engaged in whatever you are currently doing, the anticipatory anxiety seems to fall by the wayside. Focus can be macro, meaning to focus on small daily or weekly projects en route to a final destination, or micro, like, say, focusing on the motions of each rep in a set of dead lifts without letting the number of reps threaten your focus. Most importantly, never pass up an opportunity to tell someone else that you believe in them.


5. Pursuing your passion requires recognizing and accepting your gifts
Until recently, I would have said that having a dominant interest, or passion, was enough to set you blazing on your journey through life, but I learned that this is not the case. For the past 2..3..25 years, I have struggled with knowing myself and knowing what I want. Filtering out the need to please others has been a huge challenge, but developing a strong self-concept not only put me in tune with my interests, but enabled me to accept and embrace my gifts. If you're at all familiar with Impostor Syndrome, you'll know that some of us have every excuse for why we can't succeed, and others among us, have ever excuse for why we DO. I always feared that awareness of my talents/skills might breed egoism or bruise my sense of humility, but it hasn't. In fact, knowing what you love is half the battle; knowing what you love to do is the more integral part of living purposefully. I knew my interests were health-related, but I nearly tore out my hair trying to decide what kind of practitioner to be. What scared me most about pursuing the sciences was the possibility that I might not be able to write essays, or make normative arguments in an academic setting. Closer inspection of this fear revealed that the only microscope I needed and wanted, was my proverbial microscope. I decided that because I love nothing more than to write (and write and write), that I would explore my niche, where the social and the health sciences collide, so that I could explore my interest without giving up my voice. What are your gifts? Do you brush them off, or really embrace them?


6. Be selective and sparse with "willpower"
It used to be that my dietary habits, my workouts, my schooling, even my character was informed by willpower. We all the know the story of extreme dieting, and the inability of dieters to maintain a state of deprivation, but what of living one's entire life in a constant state of emotional hardness?
I'm of the opinion that, even more than indulgence, willpower needs to be exercised with great care and discretion. I made a decision some time ago, that if I only had a limited amount of effective willpower, that my preference was to allocate it to moments of genuine growth, rather than my eating habits. This was one of the best choices I have ever made. I no longer see food choices as stressful situations, now that they are governed by intuition and messages from my body. Instead, I use willpower for the final minutes (or even seconds) of a workout, or perhaps, to stay awake through a Logic lecture. These are situations when the body/mind begin to feel betrayed and require just a bit of psychological overriding. Take a minute to assess the times in the day/in your life when you use willpower, and ask yourself if, in those instances, you are pushing yourself to a new best, or pushing yourself away from what you really want and need in life. Charles Eisenstein writes an amazing piece on "The Fallacy of Willpower" in his book, The Yoga of Eating.
That's the thing about willpower: the less you use it, the better it works.


7. Beware of dogma (and sometimes dogs)
I really thought, for a while, that I had cracked the holy grail of nutrition. Not nutrition in general, but for my own needs. I looked amazing, felt pretty good and was performing pretty well, too. The thing is, I now embrace a completely different eating philosophy and look, feel and perform better than I ever did with my holy-grail nutrition. So, what's the diffy?
Last year, an amazing man (a former top-level international martial arts competitor) told me that his body told him exactly what he needed to eat. I don't think he meant that it was transmitting grams worth of macros or anything, but I was intrigued. What he was describing is the most fundamental, intuitive type of eating. I was so fascinated by what he said; I couldn't stop thinking about it! Almost a year later, I now understand exactly what he meant, and he was right. This genre of open-mindedness has translated into emancipating myself from all kinds of ridiculous dogmatic ideas about health, life, school..you name it! This doesn't mean a total re haul of your beliefs, but not being afraid to do (maybe eat) things that you had once blacklisted. Life has a funny way of humbling our sense of "certainty" sometimes.

8. Make a list of silly dreams, and realize that they aren't so silly after all.
What may have seemed silly 2 years ago, may be routine today.
Write down everything you've ever wanted to do. Outrageous, practical, pragmatic or unrealistic. Then try to come up with reasons why those dreams are silly, and you may find that the only thing silly about them, is the perceived limitations you create.

Happy New Year. I foresee a year full of poetic journeys...with the odd typo.