Refuel Before You're Empty

Although gas prices do seem blissfully low, this blog post is not about pulling over to fill up anytime you see gas advertised for below $2.80 a gallon (although it is tempting!) It may be totally “square” but I admit that I am reading The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, the granddaddy of self-help authors. The book was originally published in the 50s and definitely has a Christian undercurrent, but its advice rinks true today for a broad audience.

Here are some of the topics covered: A Peaceful Mind Generates Power, How to Have Constant Energy and How to Break the Worry Habit. Maybe it would disappoint Dr. Peale to know this… but these are all very relevant problems for most people—60 years after he first published his book!

The basic message is that we create our own happiness, our own energy, our own sense of inner peace. This isn’t big news. The most interesting parts are how to actually find the happiness, energy and peace.

One piece of advice that stuck in my head is Dr. Peale’s suggestion that we take 15 minutes every day to empty our minds. Just think about… well, nothing. No multi-tasking. No reading, watching TV, answering emails, watching kids, etc. Just… empty.

When I first read this I thought it was a very, very cool idea. Then, my skeptical self kicked in and I wondered how I could actually sit still for 15 minutes and not do ANYTHING. Maybe this idea was outdated. After all, they didn’t have internet and blackberries in the 50s. People were surely much less productive. Finally, I thought – why not? Shavasana (a.k.a. corpse pose, or final relaxation when you just lay on your mat with your eyes closed) is my favorite part of yoga class. Shavasana is really little more than emptying my mind after working out. And yoga is decidedly not 50s-ish. Maybe there was something to this think-nothing-for-15-minutes idea.

I realize that 15 minutes may be a huge chunk of time for some people, and many of us may not have the luxury of 15 free minutes alone every day. But don’t we owe it to ourselves to refuel before the tank is empty? Being quiet and truly still does bring peace and energy. Peace and energy makes me happy, and probably makes you happy, too. Without energy and inspiration, I wouldn’t get much done and I wouldn’t be much use to the people around me.

For me, running serves as a peaceful time. It’s a time to pay close attention to the things around me, the sights and the smells. It’s a time to feel every twinge and strength in my body, and to sweat away all the stress and worry of the day. Not thinking – just noticing. In a way, running is a way to refuel.

We often focus on things like self-help books when we find ourselves in a bad place. (Totally out of gas and AAA is on its way.) Doesn’t it make more sense to refuel before we’re empty?

Have a great week –

Brae

Be Caveman Sexy

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about weight loss and running. Weight loss is a stressful issue on the minds of so many women and is actually the top reason women start running. Healthy living is something I feel passionate about and is the reason I founded ZOOMA—to inspire women to have fun with a healthy lifestyle.

It’s tough not to focus on weight loss with Jenny Craig commercials, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, and J.Crew catalogs with stick thin models bombarding me at every turn. Many of you probably include losing weight or maintaining your current weight as a major part of your ZOOMA Atlanta training goals. I have to admit that I run partly to maintain my weight.

Which makes me wonder… are we losing focus on the “real” goal here?

Is it beauty? We’re all aware of the prevalence of anorexia and bulimia with young girls, and the ridiculous weight standards People Magazine sets for us. Then, Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty encourages a “wider definition of beauty” by featuring non-typical-model-types in their ads. This campaign provoked some controversy, as several of the models would probably be described as “overweight” (medically speaking), and may not actually be all that healthy. Weight and beauty are undeniably closely related in the U.S.

Is it health? One of the newest Jenny Craig spokespersons is Queen Latifah, whose weight loss goal was to reach her “ideal size” and lose 20 pounds to lower her cholesterol. Queen Latifah’s focus was clearly on losing weight for health and not for looks. A good message, I think, but one that has not been heavily promoted in Jenny Craig’s marketing as far as I can tell.


I’ve heard a theory that the biological origin of the idea that “thin is beautiful” has to do with the fact that being thin is correlated with being healthy. I guess a caveman would want to shack up with a thin cavegirl because she would be likely to bear children and live a long life.

I think we all agree that being model-skinny is not a realistically attainable or healthy option for most women. But after we’ve left that ridiculous idea behind, what is the “real” goal? For me, I want to maintain a weight where I feel good about myself and am healthy. But what does that mean?

I suspect that the answer is different for each of us. And that is really the key here. Match up your “ideal size” and your healthiest weight. Your healthiest weight can be scientifically measured and has nothing to do with fashion models, celebrities or ad campaigns. You can measure your BMI and make sure your number falls within the healthy range. But BMI isn’t a perfect measure for everyone, so talk to your doctor, too.

Remember: The “real” goal is to be healthy, not to be as thin as your best friend, or to fit in a size that is too small for you! Would you be attractive to a caveman? Be happy in your own skin, have fun and be energetic, and find comfort in a lifestyle that makes you feel good about yourself. Show me that woman, and I will show you beautiful J

Have a great week,
Brae