Going nowhere, slowly

Driving in a hired vehicle a few weeks ago was an experience. I was driving a Kia Picanto for the weekend. The first annoying thing was that my suitcase couldn’t fit into the boot. No, not because my suitcase was big, but because the boot was so small. After I had eventually figured out all the dials and gadgets, I drove out of the parking bay. Everything was hunky dory driving in the slow-moving traffic caused by road works. But then I got onto the highway and the traffic was flowing, fast, really fast. I put my foot flat on the accelerator pedal, the Kia didn’t respond. Changed down a gear, still not the response I hoped for.  I’ve been told I am a speed demon and have a heavy right foot, so this did not feel normal at all. By this time I realised that I was hogging the fast lane and needed to move out of the way for the faster cars. At some point I was sandwiched in the middle lane and was contemplating moving over to the slow lane but some cars seemed to use this lane to overtake me. At one point I was overtaken by a Land Rover and a BMW X5 on either side of me. I barely saw them approach behind me but I did feel the tremble of my car as they swooshed past me at lightening speed. It felt like I was hardly moving. Driving up the hills was also super frustrating as I kept hoping I wouldn’t have to meet up with a car driving slower than I was because slowing down meant I’d be literally creeping up the entire hill. Well, after getting all hot and bothered, wondering when I’d reach my destination, I then decided to look at the upside. Pushing this little car to its speed limit still meant that I didn’t have to worry about speed traps on the highway. It was difficult enough to get to 120 km/h. So I could smile at every policeman and speed camera as I cruised past.  It also meant that I would have much better fuel consumption on the full tank.  I resigned myself to the fact that I had to drive in the slow lane and not be bothered by the speed of the faster cars passing me. I would reach my destination eventually, even if it took a little longer than expected.

This got me thinking. Once you make a decision to start on a new journey, whether it be a healthy eating plan, an active lifestyle, a new training programme, a new training goal, race or event, it always takes an adjustment and some changes. Then you get over the adjustment phase and you start getting the hang of it and have fitted the change into your lifestyle or daily schedule.  Things are smooth sailing for a while as you start to ease into the new routine.  But then you will hit a hurdle, this will happen, at some point. Either you are invited out to dinner and you have no control over the food you will be eating, you might need to travel and this will mean you are unable to train or keep up with your training routine or programme or, you reach a plateau. The way you handle these situations will determine the outcome of your journeys goal.  Its true.  This will be your test. You could get totally derailed and go off-track and therefore lose the momentum or you could get over the ‘hurdle’ and continue unfazed.

Here are a few tips you could try when this happens.

• if you are attending a potluck event, take something you know you can eat
• eat a healthy salad, even a fresh fruit salad, before your dinner outing
• try to stick to your meal plan foods as much as possible
• avoid ordering fizzy and alcoholic drinks.  Drink more water
• don’t over-indulge on food, drinks and desserts
• travel with your training kit, you never know when an opportunity might arise to train
• if you can, take a brisk walk or short run
• do exercises which do not require any gym equipment, there are lots e.g. jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges, plank
• if you’ve reached a plateau, trying changing things up a bit. Vary your training routine or exercises, change-up your meal items and food combinations.

If all else fails, do not despair. Going ‘off-track’ for one meal or an unplanned no-train day, will not mean all has been lost and is a catastrophe. Remember, eating one bad meal wont make you fat, just like going to gym one day wont make you fit.  It’s what you do after this so-called ‘off-track’ day which will determine your success to handling these hurdles. Continue on with your daily routine or schedule as normal and you will be back on track again.  Its easier to do this than to start all over again. Going slowing, does not mean you wont get there.  It just means it will take time to get there. Staying focused and determined, especially when it seems hard and out of your control, will help you get over the ‘hurdles’ and reach your goal. Getting over the ‘hurdles’ will give you the ‘umph‘ to continue on.

Being back home, driving my car feels great as I can zip through the traffic at my normal pace.  But I do have to say, when I drove back to drop off the Kia Picanto, it was definitely driving  a little faster and responding better than it was when I first drove it.  Guess it needed a little ‘umph’ too.

FOOD………………….. FOR THOUGHT

Once past the lips, always on the hips……

I’m sure that you’ve all heard this saying before.  Over the years I have said it many times, but I have also come to realise these things;

• The statement does not specify what is passing the lips. The most obvious thing is that it’s some kind of edible substance.
• The quantity passing the lips and always on the hips, is vague and I’m sure this differs for every person.
• Some people would say its once past the lips, always on the thighs or butt or arms or cheeks or neck or…… But it’s definitely some body part and most of the time, the one that needs it the least.

Before I proceed, let me just put it out there. I’m always thinking about food, I eat many meals a day and I’m not a happy person when I’m hungry!  I never travel without food supplies, ‘mpakho’, ‘padkoos’ or whatever name you call it. I eat to live and not live to eat! Either you can relate or you are smiling (I know some of you are smiling and shaking your head right now).

Ranking high on my daily to-do list are my training plan and my nutritional/eating plan for the day!  Its true. My eating plan taking much more effort as it requires planning, preparing and of course, eating. My daily eating plan consists of 5 meals (on most days) – breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks in-between.  I take a packed lunch to work as its easier for me to know what I’m eating and, that I’m eating the right foods. At home, I normally prepare our dinner meals. My daily nutrition consists mostly of vegetables (raw, steamed or dry-fried), lean protein (chicken, tuna and fish), grains and pulses, carbohydrates (oats, brown rice and sweet potatoes) and fruits. All the food I eat is geared towards what my body needs and requires for my training and also the benefits to be derived from a good nutritional plan including:

• High immunity during the high intensity training weeks;
• Far quicker recovery should I get sick at any stage;
• Great recovery ability from hard training sessions;
• Readily available fuel in my marathon storage “tanks”;
• Stable blood sugar levels and thus more controlled appetite;
• Increase in lean body mass and less body fat.

Realising all the benefits of eating right, does make the effort part worthwhile – deciding what to eat and at the same time trying to keep the meals colourful, tasty and not repetitive, bland and boring. I have adopted and learnt a few things to help make this process easier.  I will share them and if you aren’t doing some of these already, try a few let me know if they work for you.

• try to plan meals in advance, for the week or two/three days ahead.  At the least, in the morning plan your lunch and dinner meals. This makes for an easier shopping list too.
• always keep fruits in the fridge and I take at least two different fruits wherever I go, work, office or a drive.
• always make a big bowl of salad in the evening.  The leftover is packed for my lunch the next day.
• always prepare at least two different vegetables for dinner if not, a mixed vegetable pack.
• using an electric steamer for veggies is quicker and easier as I don’t risk over-cooking them.
• try to add as much colourful vegetables into salads, so it looks exciting and inviting to eat.  For a sweet taste, add fruits.
• my least favourite veggies I chop up very fine or grate and add into my food as its cooking or add to my salads.
• add as much raw vegetables to salads if I don’t have time to prepare or steam vegetables.  This way I will still be eating my vegetable portion for the day.
• always have a small cooler bag handy and ready to pack

Once past the lips….

Well,

If you are eating all the right healthy, nutritious foods (eating clean) when your body needs them and, to the full requirements of your body’s needs for sustainability or your training requirements.

Then,

Once past the lips, always to refuel and energize your body and keep your metabolism high!