(W)ill
Posted: September 17, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: blogging, compassion, crossfit, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, goals, happiness, hipster, kindness, life, Loss, love, lululemon, nature, Omaha, Plans, running, whole foods, writing, yoga 9 CommentsHard to say what’s right when all I wanna do is wrong-
Who doesn’t like planning? Planning workouts for the week, running events for the coming month, yoga class flow, playlist for cardio kick boxing class. It should come as no surprise to hear that “planning” is generally a good “thing” to do …
This is the point in our lovely post this evening when I tell you that all our grandiose plans are pretty much useless.
“How so?” Most of our plans and goals are not structured in a way that makes them effective if life, “things” go sideways for a spell.
If and Will plans, on the other hand, I have found to be extremely effective to staying the course and making them is an extremely empowering tool to helping you achieve your goal(s).
The trick is deciding well in advance when and where you will the take steps to achieving your goal. Quick example: “If I am falling behind on my training, I Will choose to schedule the time to train.”
Notes:
When it comes to reaching your goals, because you will reach them – avoiding temptation is critical, focusing on replacing bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves is vitally important.
Ask yourself the next time things start to go sideways, What will I do to get back on track!?!
Granite (S)tate
Posted: September 16, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: AMc, blogging, Breaking Bad, compassion, cronut, crossfit, cycling, exercise, freshly pressed, gluten free, Granite State, health, hipster, kindness, love, lululemon, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, passion, perspective, pilates, Temptation, trail running, whole foods, Willpower, WOD, yoga 8 CommentsThere is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable-
You feel your willpower diminishing as the morning grinds on. Suddenly, watching TV this evening and finishing a dozen cronuts sounds like the perfect plan to wrapping up this dreadful day. To hell with running and “working out” after work!
*Plot Twist*
You may want to write this down or bookmark it even – Chances are you may not read anything quite like it here again … Anything that reduces stress, boosts your mood, or recharges your spirit can also restore your sense of self-control. Conveniently listed below are a couple of my go to strategies, although they may look like temptations and distractions, I like to think of them as “strategic indulgences“.
Cronuts, go ahead and try to resist these flaky morsels that have descended upon us from heaven! That “thing” between our ears uses more energy for willpower than practically anything else. A small tasty bite can nudge our brain back into self-control mode. Fine, make it a few bites!
Our willpower is often at its peak in the morning, after a good nights rest. When we become tired, it often becomes much harder to control our impulses. Sneaking in a short nap in the afternoon helps to not only reduce stress, a short nap also improves our mood, and restores focus. Pretty cool!
Notes:
Your body, mind and spirit need a break from time to time – I also know that restoring our willpower is unique to each one of you reading today. Exploring new ways to restoring your willpower is time well spent … Are you going to finish that last cronut?!?
Machines
Posted: September 12, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Bicycle, bikes, blogging, College, compassion, Creativity, cycling, Ethics, exercise, faith, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, happiness, health, inspiration, life, love, lululemon, Machines, marathon, meditation, Michael Donaghy, motivation, musings, natural, nature, Omaha, perspective, Poem, Poetry, Prose, reading, running, simplicity, whole foods, WOD, yoga 2 Comments…
Dearest, note how these two are alike;
This harpsichord pavane by Purcell
And the racer’s twelve-speed bike.
The machinery of grace is always simple.
This chrome trapezoid, one wheel connected
To another of concentric gears,
Which Ptolemy dreamt of and Schwinn perfected,
Is gone. The cyclist, not the cycle, steers.
And in the playing, Purcell’s chords are played away.
So this talk, or touch if I were there,
Should work its effortless gadgetry of love,
Like Dante’s heaven, and melt into the air.
If it doesn’t, of course, I’ve fallen. So much is chance,
So much agility, desire, and feverish care,
As bicyclists and harpsicordists prove
Who only by moving can balance,
Only by balancing move.
Hornear con CultFit
Posted: September 6, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: biking, blogging, crossfit, cycling, exercise, fitness, fitspiration, free range, freshly pressed, friends, happiness, health, life, love, lululemon, Media, musings, nature, Omaha, passion, pilates, running, trail running, whole foods, WOD, writting, yoga 15 CommentsA true genius admits that he/she knows nothing-
I remember the events as though they happened yesterday afternoon … I was confident that healing my battered body would be easy and competing at a high level once again would be a cinch, but then, I tried myself once again. I thought of myself as impervious to illness and injury, but then I destroyed my back and ruined my 35-year-old knee. I believed that I had put these injuries behind me, then recently I experienced a painful event like so many that happened in the past. Injuries and setbacks can be humbling experiences, if we listen and pay attention to them.
“Humble Pie” is as good for your body and soul, more so than organic food, yoga, riding a uni-cycle and running at 6am. Do you feel like discussing humility in the most positive sense this morning? The self-effacing, not self-abasing sense? If so please leave a comment below …
Notes:
Real folks, real passionate – authentic folks (the exact opposite of fitspiration) find it challenging to shed a few pounds in a healthy manner, learning to quit abusing their bodies is even harder. I thought it would be easy because of this “thing” called willpower, the very same willpower that kept my broke ass – well broke, for so many years.
If your ego has been damaged by the setback(s) life likes to serves our way, a little “Humble Pie” may serve as a more preferable flavour …
Be well and please take care!
Illusion(s)
Posted: September 4, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: biking, blogging, compassion, crossfit, cycling, exercise, family, fitness, free range, freshly pressed, friends, gluten free, happiness, health, hedonic treadmill, hipster, hope, kindness, life, love, lululemon, lust, marathon, meditation, motivation, musings, perspective, pilates, Tension, trail running, walking, whole foods, WOD, writing, yoga 5 CommentsBetween two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before-
Do you find it difficult to resist temptation related to physical endeavors?
Picture the difference between wanting to run a 2:30:00 marathon and not being able to finish one (runners are easily stirred up. If you like, pick something that resonates with you). Now imagine a plyo-band stretched between you and the “thing” you want to achieve, pulling evenly on you, drawing you close. We have a hard time staying in tension and resisting the pull. So we do things: we purchase the latest running gadgets, try new activities the day before an event to release the ever-growing tension.
The image I am trying to paint for you is that once we release the tension, we feel better.
However, out here in the real world? Reality is markedly different. Sure for a few fleeting moments we feel better … Then the morning of the event arrives and in a flash, second guessing creeps in, doubt shows up alongside you and we go back to feeling the same as before. Welcome my friends to the Hedonic Treadmill.
We relentlessly pursue things and experiences that we think will make us happier. But once we acquire them, we quickly return to our previous level of happiness. Then we start looking for the next latest and greatest “thing” … 5k-10k-1/2 Marathon-Marathon-Triathalon-Ultra events … The sweet new Felt carbon-fiber tri bike you’ve been lusting after? The first time you sling your leg over the top tube feels like good sex. You’ve dreamed of this moment all season long. Although, 128 miles later the bike feels like every other bike you’ve ever owned, saddle sore and all. What better time to start lusting after another new bike, another gadget. The Hedonic Treadmill patiently awaits your arrival …
Notes:
When I work with folks away from this rambling blogging thing, I lament, nauseously about building tension. Breathing, muscle activation and willpower? What? Willpower … Willpower is mastering tension not always getting what we want, when we want it, releasing the tension we have patiently building.
Creating tension is a beautiful and empowering process, embrace it and be well today.
CultFit 