Another chapter closed

December 21st, 2013. I am a graduate. My master’s degree is complete. The road has been long and there are no answers as to what the future holds for me next.  I am at peace.

Take flight!……And nose dive…..

Perhaps you’ve seen some of the articles circulating on blogs lately questioning how people censor their lives through social media. You know, putting up all the pretty, perfect pictures of their well-balanced, organic, local, hand-picked meals but forgetting to post the pictures of the cheese puffs and doughnuts they wolfed down in a stress-induced panic. While we turn to social media for support and inspiration, some of us can walk away feeling pretty crappy about our life when we compare ourselves to the picture perfect lifestyles.

As many of you know, I’m in my last year of graduate school to become a nurse practitioner. This entire year is dedicated to clinical rotations (otherwise known as “free labor”). 25-30 hours a week is dedicated to learning how to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage newborns to older adults and making sure I’m not passing off minor symptoms for something major (like death). Oh yeah, I’m still working 40 hours a week at night at my ever stressful job of trying to pull people back from more death. Personal life? Non-existent. Running? My heart aches for it. The person who would spend 10 days camping outside now sees sunshine on her walk to and from the car. Auuggghhh, it’s like a knife to the heart.  It’s just killing me!! Stressed, unhappy, and a little depressed is an accurate descriptor of my current situation. What’s making me happy now?? Here’s the big confession…..BACON, FRIED POTATOES, and DILL PICKLE CHIPS. Yes, Miss Thang here, whose last post was about making green smoothies, is now using grease, salt, and fat as her support system. I’ll give you a minute to gossip about that little piece of news…..

Last week I had a “get your sh*$ together” moment where I realized that all of my negativity and stress is REALLY affecting how I feel. I rarely post on Facebook because I’ve noticed that most things I want to say will put me in that friend’s category of getting blocked because I have nothing good to say and I DON’T want to lose friends because I’m a Negative Nancy. I thought about an anti-depressant (nothing wrong with them, I prescribe tons at work) but after more consideration, I felt like it was more of a lifestyle issue and a pill would just be a Band-Aid covering a bigger problem. I woke up between shifts to an amazing, sunny 75° Saturday. I took a great walk, soaking up some Vitamin D (low levels can cause depression), and then hit up Costco for some frozen anti-oxidant berry mix, kale, fruit, power veggies salad mix, and Greek yogurt. At the end of the day, my body really does crave clean eating and I know I respond really well to it. The dill pickle chips, while so good, just leave me feeling sluggish, hungry, and only give me about 5 minutes of satisfaction. To me, it’s not worth the trade. Like I’ve said before, I’m not a big believer in always depriving yourself of foods but I need to stop the habit of reaching for the bacon for a 5-minute comfort.

I’m always seeing posts (usually on Mondays) were it goes something like this “cleaning the fridge out today of all my junk! It’s just chicken and salad from here on out!” Good for you for taking that step! Just realize a healthy life is not always perfect. I have to break my relationship with bacon (sob). Do I feel bad about the last couple of weeks? Eh, no. I’m proud that I realized the habit I was getting into needed to end and I took action in conquering that craving.  Am I committing to green smoothies everyday till I die? Eh, no. I’m realistic. At the end of the day, I want to be healthy and happy and not full of guilt. My commitment is to do what makes my body and me feel happy and good. Spending time in the produce aisle and outside with my puppy helps me achieve that feeling. Today is the time to stop looking for that fast fix and spend more time cultivating a lifestyle of health and happiness.

Take flight and live!

a.

Find your peace

Green protein smoothie power!

Happy 2013! Did you make any food resolutions this year? Are you like my dad who is always trying to figure out what to do with random bags of greens like kale and spinach? I always get excited when I buy big bags of greens at the store but then they are sitting in my refrigerator and I’m suddenly panicking that I’m only one person drowning in a sea of greens. Smoothies to the rescue! Lunch is usually something quick and mindless so I can get back to work or run out the door. Here is a great way to use all of that spinach and kale and fill your body with amazing nutrients! Fair warning, I cook in the dash-here-handful-there method so do a little taste test before you serve so you can tailor it to your liking.

~Green Protein Smoothie~

• Generous handful of kale or spinach, or both (today I just used kale)
• 1 small apple
• 1 small banana
• Couple slices of avocado
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (you can use more)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of honey or maple syrup if you need it slightly sweeter
• Ice or water (depending on how thick/thin you like your shake)
• Ground flax-seed or chia seeds (optional)

Blend the powder and almond milk together first. Then add the banana, avocado, apple, and ice and blend some more. Finally, add small amounts of your greens to the liquid and keep blending so they are nicely pureed. Add the dash of cinnamon and any more water/almond milk/ice/sweetener so it’s to your liking.

I didn’t have any of the flax-seed or chia seeds on hand today but you can always add a bit to your smoothie for an extra boost of nutrition. I didn’t add the avocado to the picture because it was looking pretty ewwww, just like those bananas. I’ll be honest, I use smoothies a lot to get rid of shady looking fruits and veggies. Cooking on the wild side!!

What is your favorite way to sneak in extra fruits and veggies?

 

Fall fun!

My favorite time of year is here! I can’t get enough of the colors, weather, and fall activities. Last weekend I volunteered in the medical tent at the Kansas City Marathon. I really wanted to pay back all the love I’ve gotten as a runner over the years and thought I would do so in my hometown’s big race. By the way, KC was just picked as Frommer’s top 10 world destination cities for the year. This race will take you by many beautiful sites that make KC so awesome! Seeing how a medical tent is designed for 12,000+ runners was really interesting. We were right at the starting line so we got to absorb all the excitement of the pre-race chute and the elation of finishing. We handed out lots of Band-Aids for blistered feet and ice packs for sore knees. Some people had to be carried in for severe leg cramps (ugh, so painful) and our massage team helped with quick relief. Many of the nurses were scanning the finish line looking for people who were shaky on their feet or who were shivering and looking like they were fighting off some hypothermia. There was lots of happiness and excitement as people crossed the finish line but there were some sobering moments during the race. Hold on while I drag out my soap box….. If you are going to run, please train! I am guilty of not being really aggressive with this when I train for a race but I always keep up some level of cardio fitness through the year as a baseline. If you just got off the couch and decided today will be the day you run a 5K, your body (or heart) might decide it’s the last day you will ever run. Also, I had no idea how many people get disoriented while running. We’re talking about not knowing their phone number or how to spell their last name. Please, please, please, at the very least, write your name and number and emergency contact info on the back of your bib. Even better, invest in a nifty RoadID bracelet or something similar. It sucks when you’re trying to give medical attention to someone who can’t talk. You will never be that strong or that in-shape where a medical emergency won’t affect you.

That afternoon, the bf and I went to Weston, Missouri, just 30 minutes north of Kansas City. This super cute town was settled in the 1830s and is still full of old charm, big red barns, apple orchards, and great food and drink. My top picks include: Weston Red Barn Farm for apple and pumpkin picking, the Vineyards for an amazing meal, Pirtle’s Winery for wine tasting, and Weston Brewing Co. for drinks in a cave. Isn’t Pirtle’s the cutest place ever for sipping a glass of wine?My other favorite thing I tried this week was Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle mix. Fun fact: when I was about 6 years old, I remember thinking, “someday when I get married, I am going to register for a waffle-maker.” I was dreaming big ladies and gentlemen. Well, I haven’t gotten married but I did get a waffle-maker. I guess dreams do come true! Anyways, the mix is awesome! Add a scoop of protein powder and some pecans and you have a delicious fall breakfast!

What are some of your favorite fall traditions?

My goals update

October! My favorite time of year! It seems like every Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest I see is overloaded with pumpkin pie spice lattes, butternut squash soup, and last-minute marathons before winter hits. This marks the first year I’m not running a fall race which makes me so sad. Last year I did the Marine Corps Marathon in beautiful Washington, DC and I must say, you HAVE to run this race at least once. The course is absolutely beautiful and it’s super fun to see many of the DC landmarks. To make up for missing a race this fall, I am volunteering at the Kansas City Marathon. I’ve always wanted to give back the love I’ve gotten during my races and I thought this year would be a perfect opportunity. Now that it’s getting closer and I hear more of my friends entering, I think I’ll have a slightly sad heart. Oh well, more motivation for finding another great marathon! Speaking of which, does anyone have a great recommendation for an awesome winter race?

At the beginning of this semester, I talked a lot about my goals for the rest of the year. Since I’m deep into projects and tests, I thought I’d give an update of how it’s going. So far, my butt is still fitting into my jeans. Major goal accomplished! I have planned ahead making sure I have lots of fruit, precut veggies, yogurt, and other healthy snacks ready so I can grab and go. Making sure my fridge is stocked keeps me from relying on takeout. My stress level is WAAAYYYY down too. It really shouldn’t be. I had to scrap a research project this week and I’ve pulled a couple 36 hour days with no sleep. Major difference is I’m taking more time for friends when they want to get together and I’m taking lots of running/walking/get outside breaks. I’m also learning to make more short-term goals to accomplish big projects and if I do get stressed, I make sure I step away from the situation to breath and re-focus instead of letting the stress build up.

(This is my favorite breakfast right now- oatmeal with cinnamon, cherry preserves, chopped walnuts, and vanilla almond milk. It tastes almost like the cherry crunch dessert!)

Some obstacles I’ve met this semester is my sleep schedule. I’ve had some 36-hour no sleep days which are awful. I don’t recommend that and I hate that I try to practice being healthy but screw up my body this way. Some days are unavoidable with my night work schedule falling into a day class schedule which coincides with a test or paper. I want to be more proactive in managing my time so I don’t have this problem.  I also need to figure out better solutions to my carb cravings. I don’t believe eliminating anything, and as an active person, I need carbs. However, I don’t need a pan of mac and cheese. While I haven’t given into that craving, it’s a nagging thought all the time (mmmm, cheesy pasta).

Since I’m new to the blogging/social media world, this next tip might be well-known to all you super bloggers. One of biggest things that has helped me this semester is Twitter! Gotta say, I never saw that coming. Having just joined this year, Twitter has been amazing helping me stay motivated. It pushes me to stay fit, eat healthy, and find other people who have the same goals. I’ve loaded up my follow list with mostly fitness, health, and clean eating lovers. Their continual positive tweets through the day has motivated me more than once to work out or eat better. I really recommend doing the same if you need a little extra support in keeping your fitness and eating goals. Look for me on there too @TakeFlightLive

(Nellie- my other great motivator. When all of her balls are sitting at my feet and she’s giving me this stare, I know it’s time for a walk break.)

What is something surprising that has helped you stay motivated?

Finding my fight

Where do you find inspiration? Sometimes we have a story we want to share but just don’t have an idea how to bring up. It feels awkward or uncomfortable. The only thing to do is blurt it out with no introduction. This is one of those stories.

When I was a junior in highschool, life was awful. I don’t know why. I really feel like I woke up one day stuck in a giant, black sucking hole. No single event started this spiral so it was really hard fixing an issue that had no cause. This went on for months and it was getting to the point where I was going to graduate, go to college, and make some really crappy decisions. I was in one of those critical moments where my life was going to be altered and I could end up being a person I wasn’t supposed to be in a place far from where I was supposed to go. I was a hot mess of anorexia, bulimia, major depression, and contemplating suicide. Life was not going to get better. I was sad and alone with very little hope. I knew my parents were having a rough time watching this and they were also unsure what to do. I had no interest in going to counseling and really didn’t think anything would change me at that point. My parents were at a total loss but they knew I loved the outdoors and needed a challenge, both physically, emotionally, and mentally. For years I had read Backpacker and Outside magazine (yeah, my love for life in hiking boots started early) and had seen ads for different schools that taught enthusiasts how to climb, backpack, camp, and be guided into wild parts of the world. While I had casually mentioned this to my parents, there had never really seemed like a good time sign up for one of these schools. Until now. Enter Colorado Outward Bound School in Leadville, Colorado. While this wasn’t a place for troubled teens, there was no way one could spend a month in the wilderness camping and climbing, completely isolated from the world, and not experience some type of change.

This girl from Kansas suddenly found herself on the side of a 12,000 foot ridge in the middle of the Rockies, struggling under the weight of a 60 pound pack, gasping for air and energy, and wondering if being airlifted home was an option. Having spent months earlier wrecking my body with eating disorders, I really wasn’t the picture of fitness. Every day was a miserable, exhausting process of hiking and climbing for hours, unable to breathe, and trailing so far behind the group that one of the instructors would get stuck hiking with me so I wouldn’t get separated from everyone else. I couldn’t wait for lunch when I could inhale some cheese and crackers and then lay down and nap while everyone else enjoyed the scenery. My body was pissed. I was pissed. I hated feeling this weak. Finally one day, I think the instructors got tired of drawing straws of who would get to hike with me and so they put me up front to lead the group up the side of a mountain. Up to this point, the group had been lead by two guys, one a quarterback and the other a soccer player. They could go all day and not break a sweat. I could hear the silent groans of the group knowing we wouldn’t get any distance covered since I was in the lead. As I made my way up front, my chest was pounding. I could feel this surge of energy and suddenly I wanted to prove to myself and the group I could do this. Within seconds, dirt and rock was tumbling all around me as I carved a path out for the group. My legs and breathing settled into a rhythm and my eyes were locked on the top of the ridge. I could hear the group behind me making shocked comments wondering where I had been hiding this whole time. Pretty soon they were asking me to slow down. I waited until I heard the football and soccer player ask again before deciding to slow my pace. When we took a break on the ridge, everyone joked around that if we needed to get somewhere fast during the rest of the trip, they would just stick me up front. I knew there was a huge smile on my face but what others couldn’t see was all the screaming and jumping up and down that was going on inside of me. I was back and ready to fight. Our month-long trip was capped off by a 13 mile run up the 13,736 foot mountain, aptly named Mount Champion. I had never run before so the fact that I did a double challenge like this absolutely blew my mind. I came home a stronger, happier person who was ready to tackle the future.

Back in Kansas, the giant black hole that had engulfed my life was suddenly reduced to a grey rain puddle. It’s funny how when you’re happy, blue sky’s are everywhere. I was more confident having returned from Outward Bound and was suddenly making new friends and becoming more outgoing. The mental battles were still there but now I had a better support group. I loved how strong I had become living in the mountains hauling my possessions around so I wasn’t about to lose my muscle or my endurance. I started eating again and taught myself to take pride in being strong and building muscle instead of finding pleasure in how I could make size 0 pants bag from me. This was going to be a process that would take years to overcome and I needed to start learning. My interest in fitness and wellness started when I was about 6 years old at Christmas when I got my first pair of sand-filled weights, sweatband, and workout cassette. When I decided to become an exercise science major and get my license as a personal trainer, things just felt natural, like this was the path I was supposed to take all along.

I’ve gone back to Leadville many time since Outward Bound to camp, hike, and climb. One mountain, Elbert, has always eluded me. We were supposed to climb it during Outward Bound but had to change plans last-minute. Elbert is one of the tallest 14ers in the lower 48 states and on my summer adventure this year, I wanted to make it happen. This was my way of remembering where I have been and what I’ve done since my life changed in those mountains. I am very proud to say here are the views from the top….

My inspiration of mountain climbing might seem cheesy at first but it makes me think of everything that I went through in highschool and college. It was years of hard work making my body strong again, finding happiness, and conquering mental demons. Learning how to climb and finishing Outward Bound is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done physically. Beating my battle with depression, eating disorders, low confidence is the hardest thing I’ve ever done mentally. Staring at a jagged, sharp, towering slab of grey rock, sometimes so high up it’s hidden in the clouds, makes me think of how I’ve conquered my impossible. Whenever I’m at a point where I want to quit or I am wondering if it’s worth the work and misery, I think of the mountain tops I’ve sat on, and the absolute euphoric peace of knowing I made the right choice to keep fighting.

Dear World

If you’ve never heard of Dear World, check them out for some amazing inspiration and stirring photography. They were part of the TedxKC event I attended a few weeks ago. Take flight and live has been a great mantra for me in the last year. It has helped me make decisions and live my life differently. I’ve experienced more, felt happier, managed my stress better, and my body is feeling great despite my hectic schedule. I have nothing but excitement for my future.

What inspirational quote has changed your life?

Moab, Utah

Every year I plan a trip that takes me into some wild areas, makes me push myself physically, and then collapse into bed at 7PM every night. In the back of my mind, I wonder slightly why I enjoy this and how this can rightly be called a vacation. Doesn’t a vacation require a fruity drink with an umbrella? I always end up pushing my endurance threshold but I’m usually surrounded by some of the most beautiful sites on earth so it’s easy to want to see what’s around the corner. This year I loaded up my little car and got my bf excited for a classic road trip west for 10 days of hiking and camping in Colorado and Utah.

Now, while I’ve tried writing this post several times since getting back, I’ve just not been super excited about retelling all the fun stories. I’ve been pretty content just looking at pictures and remembering the moments of sitting on top of some of the tallest mountains in the United States and looking down at the birds flying below. Then this week I started school and had a small panic attack thinking about my hectic schedule for the next year. In the midst of setting goals and accepting the situation, I suddenly realized that all my adventurous trips and marathon training’s have been good lessons for my life. Hello endurance! I might not be huffing and puffing towards a timer at the finish line or working past some shaking muscles while climbing a 14ner, but mentally, I’m having to overcome much, much more. I’ve pushed my body through some crazy hikes and runs with my mind screaming the whole time “can you seriously tell me you’re having fun??!! Just give it up already and let’s go eat ice cream and take a nap!” There might be moments of being soaking wet and freezing on top of a mountain or running past mile 20 of a marathon seriously doubting it will ever end but somehow, I’ve overcome the mental and physical challenges and always finished. So, here’s to all my training I’ve done in the past 10 years. Let me take what I’ve learned and accomplished, remembering I’ve never given up, and apply it to the next 15 months.

So, with that being said, here’s part one of my trip west- Moab, Utah. If you’re ever looking for some wild landscape, amazing biking, rafting, hiking, and canyoning, you must head here. This part of the country was made for adventure lovers. During our stay, we hit up Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, and Dead Horse State Park for lots and lots of hiking. Here are some of my favorite memories…..

What’s one of the hardest events you’ve ever pushed through?

A diggin’ fool

 

Confession: I’m a personal trainer who doesn’t belong to a gym. Gasp! After spending so many years and hours in them both personally and as a trainer, I’m just a little tired of the scene. Plus, I’m being super thrifty now and saving my pennies for some cool trips. However, I’ve got tons of home equipment in my little apartment and can do a pretty good workout on my own. I also like looking for opportunities to do some manual labor to squeeze in an extra workout. Which brings us to a random morning when my dad mentioned he was needing our garden dug up so he can plant. Hello arms and back workout! Here’s a before shot of some hard, dried out Kansas soil. Hard to believe that last year this was a bountiful garden.

Row by row, dig, scoop, turn, dig. My dad isn’t a big believer on spending extra money on fancy things, like oh, say a tiller, when he has kids to do this stuff.

These guys decided to show up and make things complicated by lying on the cool dirt.

Even though the dirt was turned up, there were still large chunks that were not conducive for tiny seeds and plants. So even though my dad doesn’t have that fancy tiller, he does have this contraption…..

Apparently this is what they used back in the good ol’ days. It busts up the clods and fluffs the dirt. Are you surprised we have Internet and cable because some days I am.

Two hours later, I had a space about the size of a single car garage dug up. My back and arms got the workout I was hoping for and the dogs got to roll around in some fresh dirt. We were all pretty tired and dirty and I was craving fresh squeezed lemonade. Nothing beats a quick dash through the hose!

What’s your favorite non-gym workout?

 

Tour De Brew

 

Back in my senior year of highschool, my brother and I biked the Katy Trail from Sedalia, Mo to St. Charles, Mo. This 4-day trip took us along 230 miles of train tracks that have been turned into a gravel trail along the Missouri River across most of the state. It was an awesome trip that took us along amazing bluffs, small towns, and even a tornado encounter. Since then, my biking has been limited to a couple of times a year. After moving to the city, I realized most things that I do or need are pretty close to me. And I still don’t belong to the gym and need excuses to get some daily workouts in. So out came the bike. Now I’m not super comfortable with throwing myself out into city traffic and cruising down the street with crazy drivers but I was determined not to let fear hold me back. Not going to lie, the first time I was hanging out in the driver’s lane, I was shaking a bit and envisioning every head injury that’s come into my ICU. So when the opportunity to do Tour de Brew came up, I jumped all over it. This 30-mile ride highlighted popular breweries in KC plus some historical sites related to beer. And it took place early on a Sunday morning when the roads weren’t full of crazy drivers.

The starting line was at Knuckleheads Saloon in KC’s East Bottoms. It’s a funky blues and honky-tonk bar that even has a caboose outside you can drink in. 

A quick breakfast of homemade energy bars (we’ll discuss that goodness later) and a check of my tire pressure, I was ready to go, as well as over 1,000 other riders.

Pretty soon we were cruising down streets of Kansas City that I would have normally not felt comfortable on. It was great being around other riders with more experience so I could learn some better road habits. Plus with this many riders, I didn’t have to worry as much about a car plowing into us (I still worried).

My lovely crew of friends and co-workers made our first stop and KC’s very own Boulevard Brewery for snacks and hydration. 

Most of these guys had not ridden in a long time or ridden this far so I was super excited we were all out pushing ourselves.

The ride will full of the great sights KC has to offer, like the Country Club Plaza….

Thirty miles later, I was hot and hungry. The post party included tons of brats, potato salad, Boulevard beer, and blues bands.  I was lucky to run into rock star Beth, whom I used to train, and her lovely family. Even without a trainer, she continues to rock it and is still super active. She even gave biking a try with her husband and daughter that day. I love seeing clients keeping up with their goals even if I’m not around! 

My awesome co-workers Maria and Mary made the ride super fun and we all decided we need to get together for more biking adventures. At the end of the day, I felt more confident about road biking and think I might be ready to merge into traffic.

Have you tried something recently that was a little scary?