Good Form Running

Tomorrow is the day! The day I start running again. I haven't run consistently since I found out I was pregnant with Weston. That was two years ago! I made a goal to run in the OUC half-marathon in Decemeber.

A couple of years ago, I attended the Good Form Running Clinic at Orlando's Track Shack. I looked back on that experience and the notes I took to gear my self up for my running goals. I thought some of you might want to take a look at the highlights.

The instructors talked briefly about each step in the GFR system: Posture, Midfoot, Cadence, and Lean. This was ALL new to me. We then went outside to run and were filmed! That made me a little nervous, but it was so helpful. They freeze-framed each participant's run and showed you exactly what you were doing and where you needed to make changes. I highly recommend filming yourself to see what you're doing right and where improvements may be needed.

I pretty much need to work on each area of GFR. Posture is the easiest to master and will benefit you even if you're not running. Stand tall and keep your head up and gaze forward; shoulders should be relaxed and down. It is important to reset your posture throughout your run and also throughout your day. This also includes arm positioning. Arms should be light and elbows tucked in. Thumbs shouldn't go above your chest nor pinkies below your waist. Hands should not cross the middle of your body and fists should be loose and not tight.
I also understand Cadence pretty well. That is basically how many strides you are taking each minute. GFR suggests you aim for 180 strides per minute. The instructor said that the number seems high, but you will actually exert less energy if you take more strides vs. longer strides per minute. Apparently there are apps out there that will play music set to the 180 strides per minute cadence so you can keep time with the music. Or, you can use a metronome app to practice this skill.
Lean was the one I had the greatest difficulty understanding. The instructor likened it to bending at the ankle like a ski jumper versus leaning from your waist. Basically you are flexing your ankles to reduce muscle strain caused by toeing off.
Midfoot is also easy to understand. Instead of striking the ground with your heel first (this causes braking--think roller skate brakes--and all sorts of injuries and problems, including harm to your knees, hips, and toes) or with your forefoot (causing strained calves and Achilles), you want to land directly on your midfoot. Marching in place prior to a run can help you reinforce proper midfoot strike. Reaching forward with your heel to increase your stride will not make you faster. Speed actually comes from the back leg as you propel yourself forward. Watch the video on GFR's website of the 1500 meter Olympic semifinal, you'll see what I mean. These guys look like they are gazelles: Jumping more than they are running. It's going to take a long time for me to get there, if I ever do.
The instructors encouraged us to practice one new skill at a time, even switching it up during the run as to what we focus on. I ran about 3 miles this morning and switched between each skill. I found that after one day of  implementing these techniques, my run did not wear me out like it usually does and I was faster! I'm excited to see how continued effort on these skills improves my runs.

If you live in Orlando, you should definitely do to the clinic. Seeing yourself on video and also critiquing the other participants was very helpful. If you're not in Orlando, I bet a running store near you will have similar opportunities.

Poached Salmon with Herb-Dijon Vinaigrette

I ALWAYS love a fast meal to prepare! My America's Test Kitchen Cookbooks are my best friend and we tried out a new recipe last week that I wanted to share. I modified it a little because I don't keep fresh spices in my house. For shame, I know! I also don't have alcohol in the house. Here is my version.  I, of course, doubled this recipe.

Ingredients

1 large lemon, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
1 TBSP parsley (Double the spices if you have fresh! And reserve their stems.)
1 TBSP dill
1 red onion (or 2 shallots), minced
1 Cup water
4 (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets about 1 1/2 inches thick
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 TBSP olive oil

Arrange the lemon slices on the bottom of a 12 inch skillet. Scatter parsley and dill (stems if you have fresh, otherwise use about 1/2 a TBSP of each), half of the onion over the lemon slices and add water.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon skinned side down on top of the lemons. Set the pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the fish flakes apart when gently prodded with a paring knife. About 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer cooked salmon and lemon slices to a paper-towel lined plate, cover with foil, and let drain while finishing the sauce.

Combine the remaining onion, minced parsley, dill, (I added the remaining 1/2 TBSP) honey, and Dijon mustard in a bowl. Return the cooking liquid to a medium-high heat and simmer until it has reduced to 1 TBSP, about 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the reduced cooking liquid into the bowl with the onion-herb mixture, whisk to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gently transfer the drained salmon to individual plates, discarding the lemon slices. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top and serve.

Poached Salmon, Green Beans, Pineapple with Coconut Chips

I saved leftover salmon to put on top of a salad. I also saved the vinaigrette. It made the perfect dressing for the salad!

Meal Prep

Meal Prep is crucial to success in following any type of nutrition program. It also will save you money because you will frequent the stores and restaurants less often. Honestly, my biggest trick to saving money on food is by preparing it myself. Moving out to the semi-country where there are few excellent restaurant choices close by has really helped me save my pennies.

When I first started meal prepping it would take me hours. I would match my meals to what was on sale at the stores and try to get the most bang for my buck. It was very tedious and I dreaded it. I have come to learn where the best deals usually reside (Aldi, Sam's, and Wal-Mart) and don't really look at store ads anymore. Instead, I buy the best deals when I see them on sale and utilize my freezer!
I always leave a little extra space on my list for when I get to the store and discover our favorite yogurt is BOGO or Chicken is only $0.99 a pound.

Now, I sit down with my spiral bound notebook and my favorite cookbooks. I list out the days I am planning for and how many meals/snacks I need for each day. The first thing I do is shop my pantry and freezer. I build my meals around what I already have. I also take stock of items we frequent (peanut butter, honey, oatmeal, salsa, etc) so that we never run out. If I need an ingredient that is out of the ordinary, I try to find more than one recipe that uses said ingredient, so that I use it all up and nothing goes to waste. I typically plan for one to two weeks at a time. If my family LOVES a meal, I add it to my master list and after doing this for several years, we have a pretty great running list. Because I like to cook and try new recipes, I usually allow for one or two new recipes every two weeks.

Shrimp and grits, veggie blend, and watermelon

I write out all the meals/snacks for each day and then add the ingredients to my shopping list. I try to put meals with fresh ingredients during the earlier part of the week just in case those fresh fruits and veggies run out before I can get back to the store. I hate running out of things before the next big trip. But, with a family of 7, that is bound to happen. Good thing there's a Publix on the corner when milk is low and we don't need anything else.

How do you Meal Prep?

No Bake Energy Bites

Sometimes I just want to pretend like I'm eating cookie dough. I cannot be alone!

No bake energy bites are a great solution to this problem. I don't even bother rolling them up. I just slap them in a container and eat them straight from the container. I allow myself a spoonful (or two) a day. It is a great way to satisfy those time of the month cravings. I know you know what I mean!

I found the recipe I use HERE at Gimmesomeoven. I love that there are so many variations and you can pretty much use what is in your cupboard and get something pretty yummy and cookie-dough-esque.

The Plug-In Drug

The following post is not meant to make anyone feel badly about their own TV viewing habits. It is has been a personal struggle of mine and I'm recording it for posterity's sake. Some of you expressed interest in my thoughts, so here they are.  The book had a lot of great stuff I won't include here. If your interest is piqued, check it out your local library.

http://www.mariewinn.com/plugin.htm

I tend to obsess over how much TV my children are watching. After reading this book, I honestly wished I could turn back time and never let them sit down to view PBS. Not because I hate TV, in fact I LOVE TV. Mostly because I strongly dislike the little monsters my children become because of TV. Seriously, after too much viewing, these children of mine become evil versions of themselves. It was becoming this constant battle of dealing with little monsters or getting a break for myself.

I'll admit, just like 90% of the children I worked with as a therapist, you could totally blame this problem on me: the parent. I was inconsistent, unclear about boundaries, ambivalent, and wishy-washy about the subject. I lacked conviction big time. On the plus side, I have been doing a lot of positive things: we only have one TV. There are no TVs in bedrooms. We don't have cable television.

I really decided to get motivated to do something about what I consider to be a problem for my family after reading the Anne of Green Gables series last year. I fell in love with the characters in this series and longed for a simpler time when my children could have similar experiences as these characters. Now, I know I can't take them back 150 years, nor do I really want to. I don't want them to lack the ability to navigate the high-technology world in which we live; however, I was so tired of non-imaginative, grumpy children. The Plug-in Drug talks a lot about the correlation between less TV and less aggression and vice versa. It also spends a lot of time trying to convince you that TV isn't in itself a bad entity, but that it keeps children from having real-life experiences that facilitate cognitive, emotional, social development. Since these were my biggest concerns and I had seen this in my own home, I really got on board with what Winn was saying. She also points out that TV generations are also closely linked to declines in educational achievement.

Winn points out that many parents in recent generations use television as a "child-rearing tool." I hated to admit it, but this was true about me. I've used it for rewards, punishments, to get a break from the noise five active children can make, etc. I've been afraid to say No and I've really lacked conviction because of my own love of TV. I am definitely guilty of setting them in front of the set so I can catch up on my own programs online.

She talks about how TV fills a vacuum for lonely, isolated parents. I have felt that way! Especially when I've been pregnant or had a newborn baby. TV has totally filled that vacuum and I become this guilt-stricken woman who annoys my friends and especially my sister with my first-world problem of how much television my children are watching.

For me, Winn's book was the mirror I needed to look in with an honest heart. It also gave me concrete ideas and strategies to gain control over this problem. I felt empowered! "[I'm] the adult, I can choose!" For those who may be struggling with this as well, here are some more of her suggestions.

1. Gain conviction--"The kids will know [I] mean it, if [I] know [I] mean it." So often for me no hasn't really meant no. It just meant no until I got so annoyed I gave in to the pleas for television time or needed some time to myself.

2. Establish firm rules--Jared and I discussed this and decided since we aren't ready to give up having a TV, we needed firm rules that we both agreed on. We decided that during the school year we wouldn't allow TV on school days. On non-school days there wouldn't be any rules really. During the summer, we decided to limit TV viewing to 1.5 hours. That way each child can choose a 30 minute program to watch. Winn suggests that TV viewing on non-school days will not be a problem because the children have simply found more interesting things to fill their time. Other rules she suggests, that we had already adopted are no TV at dinnertime or bedtime. (We do have TV dinners on Thursdays when Jared is at the church, but that is it.) One hour a day time limit if you aren't ready for no TV during weekdays. No solitary TV watching. She also suggest we set boundaries on how many programs become regular programs.

I decided to have an organic conversation about television in the car with the children and told them my concerns about too much television watching. I told them things were going to change and that I felt really strongly about this. I said it probably wouldn't be easy, but we could do it together. We're only a week in, but the complaints have become very few and everyone knows when TV goes on and when it goes off. They are filling their time with play and it is wonderful!

3.  Natural controls--Place the set itself in an "out of sight, out of mind" location, like a basement or a less frequently used room. Don't get a super fancy set that is enticing to watch. Get rid of cable so you have fewer choices. Don't put sets in children's bedrooms. Develop a rich social life.

To be successful she also points out how one needs to be realistic. Making changes is easier if you organize a TV Turnoff or start after a break in your regular schedule, like a vacation. Winn says it is important to "sell it to the kids" and not to "expect miracles." She also tells you to expect withdrawals. She lists the following negatives to limiting TV, missed shows, social pressure, and a decrease in effective punishments for parents to use with children.  Those are really the only negatives she lists.

Here is her list of positive changes in a less/no TV home,  more peace, increased closeness, children are more helpful, sibling relationships improve, adults and children have more interactions, increased reading, increased outdoor play , improved relationships between parents and children, and increased time for crafts and hobbies. I like that list! I want that for my children and for my family.

So far we're doing good with our new rules. If it is going to continue to be a success, I have to remember my own priorities for my children and remember that my break won't really come until they are grown up. In the meantime, I will enjoy a regular scheduled bed time so I can get a little respite each day.

P.S.. Just to clarify, TV really should include all screens (computers, tablets, video gaming, phones, etc).  The 1.5 hours they get each summer day includes both TV and computer time.

P.P.S. I find my biggest struggle with this is that they are getting a lot of media in at school. Knowing they have watched and been on screens at school, makes me more determined to limit their time here at home.