Blogs / From Kristen

Four Things Kristen Couldn’t Live (or Be Fully Healthy) Without

This week FBG is celebrating its four-year birthday! Dang, we’re old. To help with the festivities, this week each FBG is focusing on the number “four” by answering the question: What four things could you not live (and be healthy) without?

When I think about the factors in my life that help me stay healthy, well, there are a lot more than four. If I really broke them down, there are easily more than 40, really. And I don’t think that’s terribly abnormal.

But, when it comes to the things that are truly life-altering, the list certainly gets smaller. At least, small enough to try to get the major players on this list!

4 Things I Couldn’t Be Healthy Without

1. A good pair of shoes. Running long(-ish) distances makes high-quality kicks an absolute must, but even for shorter jogs, comfortable, supportive shoes make a major difference. I always knew this to be the case, but after developing plantar fasciitis a few years ago, I couldn’t deny that the right shoes were probably the biggest factor in preventing injury. I don’t even walk the dogs without putting on some decent kicks these days.

2. My support crew. Okay, maybe this is cheating just a bit, but it’s true, and it’s all-encompassing. My support crew is varied—it includes my parents who encouraged me to be an athlete, my husband who puts up with my endless FBG chatter, my dogs who are always ready to run, my training buddies and group runners and swim classes who hold me accountable, and, last but not least, Twitter, where I turn more often than I care to admit to get someone to light a fire under my butt. And, of course, that would also include this community. I find I push a little harder when I know I’m going to have to tell you all about it!

3. My watch(-es). Not every workout requires close clock-watching, but I work a lot harder when I’m working toward a goal. I have my Timex Ironman for counting laps and intervals, and an old-school, hand-me-down Garmin Forerunner that I use to track distance and speed. I’m a fan of the idea that I can do anything for ___ minutes/meters/etc. My watches help me do just that, and, once again, they hold me accountable. I can’t fool it into thinking my time is up when it’s not.

4. My bike. I’m far from being a bicycle commuter—I’m still not super comfortable riding too far on the road. But my darling bike is great for quick commutes to areas nearby, and it’s a form of exercise I’ll eagerly take part in for a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, even if it’s hot out. Plus, it allows me to participate in triathlons, which might be number five on this list, if I were allowed to do that, Jenn. Oh well, maybe next year.

You might notice that there are no foods on there, and believe me, it’s not because there weren’t any I wanted to include. I just couldn’t possibly pick just one, or even one group. How about you? Do your four things lean more toward diet or fitness? —Kristen

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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Summer

I grew up loving summer. I also grew up in Michigan, and I’m pretty sure everyone there grows up loving summer. I mean, nobody says, “Gee, I’m so excited for February and all that gray slush on the sidewalk!” Come on, Michiganders. You know what I mean.

Anyway, 12 years ago (almost to the day!), I packed up my car and moved to Florida. Well, May in the Sunshine State is hot. And humid. Oh, man, is it humid. Later in the summer, the daily afternoon thunderstorms start rolling in, which sometimes cool things down for a few hours, but right now, in May, it’s just sweaty.

I still love the summer attitude—people are so much more likely to round up a group for sand volleyball or to go swimming when it’s hot out, even though it probably would’ve been far more pleasant a month or two ago when temperatures were closer to 70 or 80. But I have a hard time getting out for a long run when it’s 90 degrees. Hell, three miles becomes a real challenge when by the end of the first mile in I’ve soaked through my shirt and a steady stream of sweat is dripping from my ponytail.

You know how up north, people move their exercise indoors in the winter to avoid running on icy pavement? Down here, it’s the summer months that drive me inside. Be on the lookout for some more DVD reviews between now and September, is what I’m saying.

But! It won’t be all indoor workouts and occasional races. This summer, I refuse to let all those long runs over the winter go to waste. And I’m going in with a plan.

First, I will start getting up earlier. For one thing, it’s cooler early in the morning, which will make it easier to get in the workout that I want to do. Plus, as much as I hate doing it, I know that making early workouts a habit make me far more likely to just do the work. Probably it doesn’t hurt that training first thing in the morning doesn’t give me hours of sitting around complaining about how hot it is, either.

Second, I’m going to lower my expectations. Not a ton, but enough to keep myself from getting frustrated. Part of what I hate about running in the summer is that I’m slower. So much slower. And since I’m already one of the slowest runners I know, that’s a big bummer. But you know what? It’s fine. Everyone slows down when the temperatures rise, and I need to be okay with an 11-minute mile pace that takes everything I have to maintain. If I can improve it, that’s awesome, but if that’s what I can do, that shouldn’t leave me feeling so frustrated.

Now, don’t let all of this whining mislead you. I wouldn’t move back up north for anything—I’d rather be a little extra sweaty for a season than have to scrape ice off my windshield every morning for months at a time. But I’m curious to hear from you guys. Does the summer heat impact your workouts in any way? —Kristen

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And Then, My Legs Stopped Working

Last week I was in California, in the Bay Area, on a work retreat for one of my other gigs, and one morning, before our meetings started up, I went to a boot camp-type of class at FNS with one of my coworkers, Edita. She’d been going for a few weeks and absolutely loved it, and I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

“It’s hard,” she told me.

“Great! I can’t wait,” I replied.

Dude. It was hard. I hung in for as much as I could, but there were intervals where I just had to stop for 30 seconds and try to breathe again. Or try not to puke. Sometimes both.

It was also a real wake-up call for me. I thought I was doing so well with mixing things up, what with my trail running and such. But the fact of the matter is that I’ve seriously slacked in a couple of areas. Weights, for one. I might still have a lot of muscle, but it’s accustomed to running and swimming, generally for sustained periods of time. And, well, that’s different than doing eight to 12 squats three or four times.

Also, I’ve become a little wussy about pushing through the discomfort. I’m so fixed on making sure I can make it through a workout (a 6-mile run, an hour-long swim, a 90-minute yoga session, whatever) that I’ve been holding back. In this workout, I gave absolutely everything I had, and by the end of each 7-minute interval, I couldn’t possibly do another rep. Not for money, not for a donut. I was spent.

As we walked (or hobbled) out (after I used half a roll of paper towels to mop up the trail of sweat I left behind me), Edita mentioned that it took a couple of weeks of doing that workout consistently before she stopped feeling sore. I nodded (which was pretty much all I had the energy left for), thinking, yeah, sure, I know what I’m in for. I’ve been sore from workouts a million times.

Well, the workout was on Wednesday. I stopped groaning in agony upon sitting or standing on Saturday night. I stopped walking funny on Sunday.

Painful as the recovery was, it was also an awesome reminder that being in shape for one thing (running or triathlon, for example) doesn’t necessarily translate to fitness in other aspects. Next up, maybe I’ll have to take a trip to the Fit Pit with Jenn, but in the meantime, I have some work to do.

Do you mix up your workouts? Or do you just think you do, like me? —Kristen

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Kristen’s 3 Favorite Healthy Foods

We’re hungry! And talking about food for this round of Question of the Week, which asks each FBG, “What are your three favorite healthy foods?” Tough one…

When I first got this assignment, I texted my husband—I was curious to see what he would come up with as my favorite healthy foods. His response: “Mexican, pizza and cheese.” Thanks, honey. I knew I could count on you for a little help.

It’s not that it’s hard for me to find three healthy foods that I love—far from it! Like Jenn, I dig my fruits and veggies, and I’ve been known to show some love to the legumes. It was hard to narrow things down, although, and I must admit that Jenn snagging eggs and nut butter as her faves definitely narrowed my choices. Good lord, do I love peanut butter. And almond butter. And oh, have you tried cashew butter? Do yourself a favor and don’t even try it. Don’t do it. A smidge is healthful. The amount you’ll want to lick off a spoon? Less so.

Ahem.

With no further nut-butter lust, let’s get to it!

My 3 Favorite Healthy Foods

1. Avocado. In salads and on toast, avocado, I love you the most. Well, at least enough to put you in my top three. It’s just so versatile—I mean, what can’t you put it in? It’s a perfect accoutrement to some scrambled eggs and salsa, but equally delicious with spinach, strawberries and almonds. Throw it in a smoothie to make things extra creamy, or mash it on a sandwich in place of mayo. You just can’t go wrong, which is great, because I do enjoy being right.

2. Chickpeas. You know how I mentioned the spinach/strawberry/avocado mix above? Well, throw some chickpeas on that baby, and let’s call it a real party! These are such a tasty and simple source of protein that I don’t know where I’d be without them. Truthfully, I mostly eat them on salads, but I’ve also roasted them for a super healthful snack, added them to soups, sauteed them and mixed ‘em up with veggies…and I’m sure there have been lots of other uses throughout the years. Oh, wait, that’s right. Hummus. ‘Nuff said.

3. Red bell peppers. They’re sweet, crisp, juicy, and—like my other choices—awesome in a wide variety of dishes. I’ve talked about roasting them before, but I often lightly sauté them before serving them in veggie fajitas or quesadillas, or mixed up with black beans and whatever other veggies I have on hand for a quick meal. And, you know how I mentioned hummus above? There’s pretty much nothing better than a fresh, raw red pepper dipped in hummus. Bonus—peppers help with iron absorption, so pairing them with my beloved chickpeas means I get more iron than I would from the chickpeas alone. Winner, winner, chickpea-and-peppers dinner!

What healthful foods would you list in your top three? Go on, remind me what I left out. I’ve got my grocery bags ready to go. —Kristen

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Finding a Lifelong Love

I ran a 5K at a golf course a couple of weeks ago, and when I walked inside to grab my post-race $1 beer (hey, if that’s not incentive to hurry across the finish line, what is?), I was surprised to see one of the girls I used to coach serving the drinks. When I was her club volleyball coach, she was 13 or 14 years old. She’s now finishing up her junior year of college.

I’m finishing up a jar of wrinkle cream.

After I stopped rubbing my aching hip and wondering why that damn rock music is always so loud (also: GET OFF MY LAWN), I asked her what she was up to, and it turned out that she’d just been voted captain of her club volleyball team for the following year. My heart swelled with happiness. Yes, I was happy that she’d earned that position, but she had always been a leader, so I wasn’t shocked. No, what made me so, so, SO happy was that she was not only still playing a sport I helped her with, but she clearly still loved it. And that’s the real lesson I always tried to teach.

I’m a big advocate of creating a lifelong love of sport—any sport, really. It’s one thing to be good at something, but it’s a whole other ballgame when you can’t imagine life without that something.

I can’t move up and down a basketball court like I could when I was 17, but I’m all about playing a little half-court ball. And one day, when that’s more than my knees can handle, I’ll play HORSE.

I don’t get my elbows to the top of the net playing volleyball anymore, but because I really learned the fundamentals, I can get away with a little less jump and a little more placement. And I enjoy it just as much as I did when I jumped like my shoes had springs.

I think that’s part of why I love triathlon. It actually makes me excited to get older. For one thing, of course, it’s always fun to age up and be the youngest in an age group. But also, I’m more fascinated by the woman running a 12-minute mile with an age of 68 written on her calf than by the 22-year-old winning the race. That senior citizen was a complete bad-ass in my book just for signing up, and then, for pushing through and finishing? Completely awesome. Double that for the 85-year-old dude tucking extra bananas in his backpack. You earned them, Grandpa. Take ‘em.

I don’t know when I’ll hit my peak, tri-wise. I’d like to think that I have the potential to keep getting better for a while yet, and that I have lots more PRs in me. But let’s say I don’t. You know what? Who cares? I love that sport. I love training for a race, I love the people, and I love crossing that finish line. I’ve found ways to adjust all the other sports that have a place in my heart so that I can still play them and love them (and, for the most part, walk the next day), and if I have to eventually adjust my approach to racing, no biggie.

But not yet. Not this year.

Have you had a lifelong love affair with any sports? Or have you picked up any, like golf or tennis (or triathlon!), as you’ve gotten older? —Kristen

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Nothing Makes You Appreciate Nature Like a Trail Run

 

I’m a firm believer in the fact that nobody knows their town the way runners do. Sure, if you cycle or drive around, you’ll get a good lay of the land, but as a runner, I get to take trails that cut through areas that you’d never even know were there. I run through parks, neighborhoods and city blocks. I run around golf courses and through my old college campus. I’ve lived in Gainesville, Fla., for 12 years, and I’m still constantly finding new places to run.

 

In fact, just a couple of weeks ago I visited a local state park for the first time—kind of embarrassing, considering the trailhead is less than 10 miles from my front door. But, I joined a friend to help her on the last 10 miles of her 16-mile training run. I was a little nervous because, while I love being outdoors and being in the woods, I’m not a great trail runner. I’m clumsy and I have spectacularly floppy ankles, which means that not only do I trip, but I fall. Hard. Often.

This particular state park had a variety of loops in distances ranging from just a couple of miles to right around six. We kept a leisurely pace and did a couple of 5-mile loops, and I was struck by a couple of things. First, even though it took us a while to finish, the time absolutely flew. I don’t know how much of it had to do with the constantly changing scenery and how much was due to the ongoing conversation, but it was clear to me that this was an ideal way to get in long mileage, even if the terrain did present a few challenges.

Second, I realized I do not get enough nature in my life. I grew up in the country (as in three dirt roads to get to my house and no movie theater for 45 minutes in any direction), so I was always surrounded by nature. And, of course, I took it for granted. Sure, it was cool when the deer would come right into our yard, but it wasn’t something I thought was a big deal. On this run, without even trying, I saw rabbits, hawks, squirrels and an alligator. Well, I saw the alligator on the first loop, anyway. I couldn’t find him on the second loop, which may or may not have made me run a tiny bit faster through that particular area.

I admit it—I’m a little bit hooked on trail running. I’m still going to get plenty of road miles in because, well, I can actually go for speed (or, in my case, “speed“) when I’m not having to be on the lookout for roots and stumps in my path. But there’s no doubt I’ll be making more trips out to San Felasco (and maybe some of the other local trails I’ve heard about, too). Sometimes with my running shoes, and sometimes with a camera (and perhaps a dog or two) in hand.

Have you used running as an excuse to explore areas? Do you prefer running on roads or trails? —Kristen

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There’s Always Room for Something New

I feel pretty well-rounded in my workouts and races. I think getting involved in triathlon does that to a person, just by its very nature, but I also like the fact that I’m able to switch from various triathlon distances to different running race distances without too much thought. I just adjust my training a bit, and off I go.

But don’t think for a second that I’m done trying new kinds of races. Last year, in addition to my first Olympic tri, I took part in a team obstacle race. And this year—in fact, in just over a week— I’ll be competing in my first 1-mile open water swimming race.

It’ll be interesting, for sure, because while I’ve definitely swum a mile (and well over that) in workouts in the pool, I have yet to do a solid, straight mile in open water. And yes, it does make a big difference when you’re not pushing off a wall every 25 yards.

But you know what? I am so, so excited. For one thing, a bunch of people from my weekly masters swim class are going down—most of us are doing the one mile, with a few brave souls going for the two-miler—so it’ll be a fun morning, no matter what. And I love trying new distances. Who doesn’t? I mean, it’s an automatic PR!

But aside from all that, I really can’t wait to see what I can do. As I’ve mentioned before, swimming is by far (oh god, by SO FAR) my strongest discipline when it comes to triathlon, and while I’m always trying to improve on the bike and run, swimming is where I really want to be competitive (by which I mean I want to kick a lot of ass). What better way to do that than to immerse myself in the sport in any way I can?

Are you adding anything new to your race portfolio this spring? Tell me all about it! —Kristen

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Kristen’s Liquid Diet Continues

I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news: My week-long liquid diet (due to TMJ) has dragged out to more than three weeks, and there’s no reason for me to suspect that it won’t go a full month. Now, after the first week, I was given the go-ahead to eat soft foods, so long as I was smart about it, but I’m still getting the majority of my nutrition through smoothies and soups.

Here’s the good news: It’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. I’ve become pretty damn good at making a killer smoothie, if I do say so myself. Your suggestions on my last post were super helpful—thanks!—but I’ve found that I don’t follow many actual recipes.

I use a bit of Greek yogurt or soft silken tofu, some frozen fruit, a scoop or two of protein powder, some almond or soy milk (or juice, depending on the other ingredients) and, generally, some frozen chopped spinach, with the occasional dose of honey, cinnamon and or ginger. Sometimes there’s some peanut butter and/or banana added in. And it always, always comes out tasty. It’s like magic.

Allow me to geek out on you for a quick second here. It is strangely exciting to see just how much spinach (or kale, or other super-duper good for me veggie) I can add to a smoothie before it starts affecting the flavor. Anybody else like seeing how green you can make it while still having it be delicious?

Between this and an assortment of heat-and-eat organic soups (have you guys tried Pacific? They have a ton of delicious, creamy soups that are easy to eat on their own or mixed with veggies, Greek yogurt or fun spices), eating—at least when I’m at home—is surprisingly easy. But the most surprising part? I’m not hungry. I’m sure it’s because I’m being so vigilant about making sure my meals are packed full of great nutrition—as often as not, I’m eating better and cleaner than I would normally—but still, the lack of hunger shocked me.

That being said, I’m also not losing much weight, and while that’s a bummer—I totally thought this would be an easy way to drop a few stubborn pounds—I’ve decided not to worry about it. I’m far more concerned with making sure I’m properly fueled for workouts and, you know, life, and if that means I’m making my smoothies a little more calorie-dense than I would if I were truly aiming for weight-loss, I think that’s probably just fine.

And, you’ll notice I said that it’s easy to eat at home. A recent three-day road trip proved that eating on the go is…well, a challenge would be putting it mildly, especially because so many soups in restaurants are made with a chicken or beef broth base, and in addition to being banned from chewing, I also don’t eat meat. Let me tell you, I’m a pleasure to be with in a restaurant these days.

Still, I’m feeling surprisingly good, and very much looking forward to the day when I can eat a bagel again without pain. In the meantime, keep the recipes and suggestions coming! I’m pretty set with smoothies, but soups and other tasty purees are most welcome.

Are you as surprised as I am that I haven’t been starving non-stop? Have you ever had to follow a liquid or a soft-food diet for a week or more? —Kristen

 

 

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Kristen’s Weekly Workout Routine

You’ve seen our gym bags, fridges and pantries. So for this round of Question of the Week, we’re talking about what our weekly workout routine is like!

First off—”routine” is way too strong a word for what I have. Now, don’t get me wrong—at times, I have a schedule. In fact, this time last year, I was on a super strict schedule as I trained for my first Olympic distance triathlon, and before my recent half marathon (from hell), I was following a pretty regular running schedule.

But right now? It’s a mix of tri training, running and doing what feels good. So, while Jenn and Tish mentioned that their routines showed what they usually do, I’m going to have to give you an awful lot of “and/ors” in order to give you a good feel for my week. And you should keep in mind that, although I try to get in a great workout most days, when life happens and I don’t have a chance to get sweaty, well, I get a bonus rest day.

Oh, and one other thing—in an attempt to clarify what kind of workouts I tend to follow when doing certain types of training, I’m using a code. T = Triathlon, R = Running a long-distance race and O = Other. Which, of course, doesn’t mean I only do those things when training for those specific events but offers a guideline. Cool? Cool.

Kristen’s Weekly Workout Routine

Monday: 3 to 6 mile run  (T,R) or Workout DVD (O)

Tuesday: 60-min swim class at noon (T) and/or run with friends for about an hour after work (T, R) and/or group exercise class like Zumba or BodyFlow in the evening (O)

Wednesday: Stationary bike (T) and/or run with the dogs (T, R, O) and/or strength training (T, R, O)

Thursday: 60-min swim before or after work, usually alone or with a friend, but a new Thursday class was just added at 11:30, so I’ll try to make it to that when I can get away from work (T) and/or Beer Run at 6:15 p.m. (4-mile group run) (T, R, O)

Friday: Easy run with the dogs (T, R, O) and/or strength training (O) and/or workout DVD (T, R, O)

Saturday and Sunday: Brick workout (T) or long bike ride (T) or long run in the morning (R, O) and/or group sport with friends, like basketball or volleyball (O) or rest day

I find that, if I have too much flexibility—i.e. no plan of attack whatsoever—I’m more likely to skip working out entirely. But having a loose plan of action and giving myself choices, like you see above, actually helps me feel empowered. I can do whatever I feel my body needs each day and feel great about it. That being said, I have full appreciation for a strict schedule when I’m trying to meet a goal or prepare for a big race; I just can’t continue with one indefinitely.

Where do you fall on the workout-routine spectrum? Do you like having something lined up to do each day, play it by ear or something in between, like me? —Kristen

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Roasted Veggies on Crusty Bread: Now THIS Is the Way to Get Your Veggies

I’m often asked about meals my husband and I can share, since he eats meat and I do not. Truthfully, we have tons of meals we both enjoy, but many of them come with modifications—cooking some chicken on the side, for example, or sautéing my tofu in a separate pan from his ground beef.

This Roasted Veggies on Crusty Bread dish, however, requires no additions—I have yet to serve it to anybody, vegetarian or meat-eater alike, who finds it lacking. Or, at least, who will say so to my face. And I’ve been serving it for a long time—it’s based on a recipe I tore out of a Shape magazine back in August 2007. (I know this because I still have the page for reference). Not only is it delicious, but it’s also super-duper versatile. I’ll tell you what I use for the recipe, but I’ll also give you suggestions for other items to include.

Roasted Veggies on Crusty Bread

Ingredients
Baguette (I like a crusty five-grain Italian bread for this, but go with your preference; you just don’t want a baguette that’s too skinny to pile your veggies on)
1 large onion, chopped to medium-sized pieces
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
2 tbsp or so of cream cheese (I use reduced-fat)
Couple of large scoops of sour cream or Greek yogurt (I use fat-free for this and the consistency is fine)
Minced garlic (to taste; I like a lot)
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar (the original recipe suggests 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp vinegar; I generally use more of both to get a thorough coating)
Basil (original recipe suggests 4 tbsp, but I just shake enough in to cover my veggies thoroughly)
Red pepper flakes (if you like a bit of spice, otherwise, this is fine without it)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500°. Mix chopped onion and peppers in a medium to large bowl with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Basil should be clearly visible on the veggies.

2. Spread veggies in an even layer across baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are beginning to brown and can easily be pierced with a knife or fork.

3. While roasting the veggies, mix your cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic—you may need to heat the cream cheese ever so slightly to make it mix easily. Cut your baguette into halves, and then cut one of those halves into vertical halves, like you would for a sandwich. To make the bread extra crusty, toast in toaster oven (or, I don’t know what you would do in a regular oven; broil?) until edges toast just a bit. Take out, spread cream cheese/sour cream/garlic mixture on each piece, and toast for a couple more minutes—you want the spread to bake into the bread somewhat.

3. Take out bread, take out veggies, and dump the veggies all over the bread. Press them down a bit to get them to stick, but please know that this is a messy dish; definitely not a first-date food. Depending on how many veggies you used and how much you can fit on your bread, you may end up with leftovers which are delicious in wraps, omelets, pasta, you name it. Serve while warm, and enjoy!

Mix it up!

Add your own favorite veggies to this, like tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini. Don’t love basil? Switch it out with a spice you’re crazy about. It’s hard to go wrong here. And, if you’re not so concerned about the calorie count, I can say from experience that adding a little crumbled goat or feta cheese to the top is a tasty treat.

Lighten it up!

While this isn’t a bad-for-you dish, you can easily cut the calories by going lighter on the oil and spread, and by using a thinner type of bread. In fact, I’ve been toying with the idea of trying it with baked, crispy Flatout Bread. Just don’t skimp on the veggies—this is an easy, delicious way to get a ton of nutrients!

Make it vegan!

By subbing in some Tofutti and your favorite vegan bread, this would be a really simple dish to make vegan-friendly.

What veggies would you use for this recipe? Do you have any vegetarian meals that your meat-eating friends love? If you’re looking for more recommendations, my mostly-vegan pal Kate just shared some of her tips for eating with an omnivore. —Kristen

 

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