I've contemplated blogging about this for quite a while, but didn't want to come across as a whiner.....but after today's run I need to vent.  I've been battling/living with rheumatoid arthritis since I was 12 years old.  A couple of times it has gone into remission for short periods where I've even been able to go off my medications, but it has been solidly with me since 2000.  In the last year it has continually gotten worse to the point where I am now.  I've recently had to start giving myself injections as well as my usual dosage of methotrexate (which is also used as a cancer drug).  It's nasty stuff with a list of possible side effects a mile long that scare the crap out of me.  

The injections have helped me get the pain and swelling under control, but the fatigue is still with me and it's ridiculous.  I'm tired a lot of the time.  It's drastically affecting the quality of my workouts, as well as the quality of energy I have for my partner and daughter.  I'm tired of being tired.  I'm frustrated with crappy workouts.  My daughter Bella was biking along side me this morning on my run - I had to stop and walk several times because it felt like I was dying.  She asked "Why do you keep giving up so easily?"  That statement coming from her is so NOT OKAY.  The mantra most often repeated in our family is "We don't give up."

I'm just gonna say it:  I'm angry and frustrated.  Big picture, I know this is a minor issue - there are a lot of people that have it much worse off than me and I should be thankful that I can still run and move - but I have certain standards for myself and it's hard when I struggle to meet them.  I make a point to remind myself that there's something to be learned from every experience, and that I need to gain what I can and grow as a person because of it.  (Look at me, I'm starting to feel better already.)

I don't want to make this all about me.  In a way, this is your story too.  WE ALL HAVE OBSTACLES IN TRYING TO LIVE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES.  Guaranteed, there will always be something standing in our way:  lack of time, a busy schedule, long work hours, family obligations, planning, injury, illness...  How we choose to respond to these obstacles defines who we are.  It's a daily struggle.  But a struggle well worth the effort.  Every step we take to doing something positive for our bodies and minds is a step forward.  

This is not going to stop me.  It hasn't for the past 26 years I've lived with it, so why should it now?  There will be better days and there will be worse days.  As long as I keep moving forward it's success.  Granted, I may not be taking as big of steps some days because my body's not cooperating but steps forward are better than steps backward.

I guess I'm going to keep doing what I've always been doing:  giving arthritis the big middle finger and moving on with my day.  Thanks for listening.

• Eating whatever you want
• Never exercising
• Getting a good tan
• Smoking
• Drinking as much alcohol as you want

There's a lot of anxiety for me when things don't get checked off the to-do list - especially when that means the list continues to get longer and longer.  I know you can relate as we all often times feel like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it.  

I have a tendency to check off all the easy things on my list first - they're easy to do, I love seeing those checked boxes, and it feels like I'm being productive.  What I must constantly remind myself of is ACTIVITY DOES NOT MEAN PRODUCTIVITY.  How strategic am I being with my time and energy?  There's only so much to go around, so which activities and people should I ensure get it?

It's critically important for us to be strategic about our to-do lists.  Yes, I could pay bills, catch up on invoicing, clean out my email in box, do the dishes, vacuum (why does that always give me such a rush?), update Facebook and have a sense of accomplishment, but what have I done today to develop my business?  What have I done today to develop myself?  

It's Monday and the start of a new week.  I have a challenge for you:  take just a few minutes today to strategically identify what 3 CRITICAL things you need to accomplish by the end of week.  They could be in your personal life, your professional life, or both.  Give them your full and best energy.  Move them to the very top of your list, and move the "nice to do" things lower.  

I'm going to stop transferring important things forward on my weekly to-do list.  I'm going to get them checked off.  I'm also going to stop creating "B lists" - completely new and separate daily lists for the really easy things I need to get done, just to have a list crossed off by the end of the day.  I'm holding myself accountable and I'll let you know how it goes.  

In fact, let me just put that on my list of things to do.....

My answer was simple:  "I schedule it."

I look at my calendar each week and write my workouts in like any other meeting, speaking engagement or conference call - and the workouts are just as important commitments as the professional ones.  They don't get skipped or pushed aside.  I commit to 5 high-quality, intense workouts each week regardless of my schedule.  They are non-negotiable.

Putting them in my calendar also makes me look ahead into my week and start planning around obstacles.  Will I have a really long travel day?  That will be one of my "off" days.  Will I be at a hotel?  I'll look online to see if there's a gym on site or I'll throw Hit the Deck in my bag.  

It's not that hard and a quality workout does not have to take an hour.  If I only have 20 minutes, I'll focus in and work like crazy for that 20 minutes to get the most return on my investment.

A busy schedule is not a deal breaker.  Look at your calendar this week - where can you squeeze in a few quality workouts?  Look at your calendar again and ask yourself how many nights you watch television.  You may have just found some extra time you thought you didn't have.  Could you wake up 20 minutes earlier and check it off your list before your day gets away from you?

"A busy schedule" is really a lie we tell ourselves to let ourselves off the hook.  We find time for things that are important to us.  I've worked with some of top executives in the world and not a single one has ever been able to look me in the eye and tell me they don't have 20 spare minutes in a 24-hour period.  Those same executives thank me months later when they have been reaping the rewards of a well thought out, consistent, quality exercise program.  

You could be too - now pull out your calendar.

I recently spent two days speaking at the Yale School of Management to a group of upper level, international executives.  They were a bright group - as all of my audiences are - but it never fails to surprise me how often brilliant people often overlook one critical thing:  expecting great things from one's self without a thought to taking care of the body and mind that provide and sustain that excellent performance. 

I can't tell you the number of executives that eat like crap, go for long periods of time without eating anything, overeat, drink too much, and/or try to survive on caffeine or nicotine.  Yet they expect to have the energy to put in productive 10-12 hour days, 5+ days each week.

In addition to this there's also a huge percentage that are mostly sedentary.  They don't work out, don't get their heart rates elevated, their muscles turn to mush and they have a much higher level of body fat than is even close to healthy.  Yet they expect to have the energy to put in 10-12 hour workdays, then come home and meet family and personal obligations.

About 75% of my audiences admit to having issues with sleep.  Yet they expect to hop out of bed fully energized, focused on their top priorities, and to be at the top of their game all morning, all afternoon, and well into the evening.

Does this sound like something a rational, intelligent person should expect? 

I do a lot of consulting for the Human Performance Institute and here is one of their most brilliant tenets:  Energy is the fundamental currency of business and of life - without energy nothing happens.  Where does energy come from?  It's metabolized in the physical body. 

Energy comes from the foods we eat.  It comes from how often we eat.  Energy comes from oxygen - increasing our rate of breathing increases energy to the brain and body.  Moving the body increases oxygen intake. 

If you really want to be productive you need to put quality nutrients into the body at regular intervals.  If you want to have energy you need to get off your butt - not only spending less time sitting on it, but also getting it moving.  Cardiovascular exercise improves the oxygen carrying capacity of your body (remember oxygen = energy), boosts energy levels, and makes you more resilient to stress.  Resistance training creates more muscles that in turn generate more energy - speeding up your metabolism.  Regular exercise increases the quality of your sleep.  IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

Today's workforce is filled with irrational, insane people.  I see it with my own eyes every day:  People expecting great work and performance from empty shells.  Dragging their unhealthy, polluted, shitty body into the office each day, propping it up in a chair for 10-12 hours, dragging it back home again, and then propping it back up on the couch for another 4-5 hours. 

Aren't you tired of it?  Don't you want more?  MAKE THE CONNECTION.  What you put in your mouth affects your performance - both mentally as well as physically.  How you choose to move your body affects your performance - both mentally as well as physically. 

I work with business organizations every week to help them improve their performance and resiliency.  It's not rocket science or brain surgery - it's simple, proven strategies that anyone can do regardless of travel schedule, geography, time or status.  If you're interested in your organization's performance, productivity and resiliency call me.  ...It's what rational, sane people do.

Companies want us to feel like we're getting a great value for our money - the larger the amount of food served or given, the more perceived value we give it.  Unfortunately, this value is drastically affecting our waistlines.  Studies illustrate over and over again the more food we're given, the more we will eat.  (There's a fabulous book by Brian Wansink called Mindless Eating that's quite insightful and entertaining).

For instance:

THE BAGEL:  Have you noticed that bagels have gotten so big many of them don't even have holes in them anymore?  They have belly buttons.

Twenty years ago a bagel was 3" in diameter and consisted of 140 calories.  Today it's 350 calories.

On the left is what we typically see.  On the right is an actual serving size (that's a hockey puck for reference).

THE BURGER:  Twenty years ago it was 333 calories.  Today it's 590.  The Monster Burger is a staggering 1420 calories.

This is Hardees' Monster Burger.  

I just threw up in my mouth a little.  

Here's what a burger should look like:

And what's a burger without FRENCH FRIES?  Twenty years ago you were served 2.4 oz which gave you 210 calories.  Today you can be given 6.9 oz for 610 calories.  Value meal!

On the left:  approximate fry size of yesteryear.  On the right:  Super Size fries - 610 calories worth.  I didn't put the tag line on the photo, but it should probably be printed as a warning on the package.

SPAGHETTI WITH SAUCE:  Twenty years ago we were given 1 cup of pasta/sauce with 3 meatballs for a total of 500 calories.  Today we're the recipients of 2 cups of pasta/sauce with 3 meatballs for 1,025 calories.  Most likely accompanied by all-you-can-eat garlic bread.  One cup of pasta is equivalent to about the size of a tennis ball.

Is it any surprise our waistlines are bigger than they were 20 years ago?  

What should we do?  We could memorize serving sizes of everything.  OR a much simpler way is to be a bit more mindful while eating:  ONLY EAT TO THE POINT OF FEELING SATISFIED.  Many of us were taught to clean our plates.  When we were served an appropriate amount of food this was not a problem.  When we're being served one meal that contains the same amount of calories we should be eating in an entire day, it's a problem.  

Let your stomach overrule your eyeballs.  What you're given is not necessarily what you need.

I've got no meetings scheduled today, so I decided last night that I would make a concerted effort to take action on every email if possible.  In order to do that, it would mean sitting most of the day, which never appeals to me.

When I need to get things done on my computer and be as productive as possible, here's my trick:  I go down stairs and get on my walking work station.  I'm not mashing my butt flat or irritating my back, and the increased circulation brings more blood, glucose and oxygen to my brain, which gives me mental super powers. 

I'm about to hit the 3 mile mark and I am obliterating my inbox.  Here's the view from where I'm at:

You might be thinking "Great.  You might be able afford a walking workstation, but I can't.  Those things are $5,000."  It might be more within your reach than you think.  Granted I have a treadmill, but it cost me less than $20 to pimp it out.  Here's a video I made on how you can make your own as well as a previous post on moving more.

We sit for an average of 8.9 hours per day, and it's a serious health risk.  We've evolved to walk and run.  Our ancestors walked 10-12 miles each day in search of food.  Our bodies are primarily made of muscle.  What for?  To move!  

Here's a link to a great article:  Your Office Chair Is Killing You.  One of the things mentioned is that frequent TV and Web surfers (ie:  sitters) have higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity, elevated triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol (that's the good kind), and high blood sugar regardless of weight.  Get up and move!  Turn off the TV.  Stand at your desk instead of sitting.  Walk or bike instead of driving if possible.  Take the stairs.  There are literally thousands of things we can do to cut down on the 8.9 hours of being sedentary.

Not only does it improve your health, it also improves your energy, focus and productivity and reduces stress.  You win no matter how you look at it.

My favorite quote of the article?  "Short of sitting on a spike you can't do much worse than a standard office chair."  That's an interesting visual......  

A new research report was issued by Pediatrics this week.  It found that marketing and branding foods with characters like Dora the Explorer drives preschool children to choose higher-calorie, less nutritious foods as well as gives them the perception that those foods taste better than ones that don't have characters on them.  (Here's a link to an article on the study if you're interested.)

Ugh.  

The preschoolers in this study had no idea about the affect marketing on them.  How could they?  THEY'RE PRESCHOOLERS!  

Remember when the cigarette industry had to get rid of Joe Camel because it was directed at kids?  Why not enforce the same standards for foods that could be just as dangerous from a health perspective?

Your thoughts?

What I love best?  

The text:  

Hot and Strong

My day has been made....

I have a new giant zit I'll be sporting. It's not on my face, but still, what gives? I feel like I should give out a promo code for a 10% discount if you can spot it...

On another note....

Yesterday I was running around Lake Nokomis when I heard someone singing quite loudly.  There was a woman sitting at a picnic table near the walking/running path singing "Legs.....legs.....legs......"  I was about to clap (why not?) when she started verse two:  "Jenny says it's all about legs....legs.....legs....".

I was confused and it took me several running strides later to figure out what I had just heard.  It had to have been someone who saw my last Health & Fitness segment on KARE 11 as it was all about exercises for your legs.

To whomever it was, thanks for the song!  I'm sorry I didn't stop to say "hi", but it took me a while to figure out the serenade (too much blood flow to the muscles, not the brain)....

The pint of ice cream was $1.01.  I would walk with a dollar in my pocket and find the remaining penny on the way there.  

Nice, huh?  

One element of this issue is that unhealthy food is cheap and plentiful, whereas healthy food typically costs more.  You can get a candy bar for 75 cents, where as fresh fruits and vegetables may cost you $2.00-$4.00 per pound.  You can eat a high density diet (low nutrients, high calories) for $3.52 per day whereas a low calorie diet (higher nutrients, less calories) costs $36.32. If you're on a budget, which one will you choose?  

The high density/low calorie quote is from an article I read today that found the percentage of obese shoppers in low-cost grocery stores is almost 10 times higher than those who shop at upscale markets like Whole Foods.  

Here's a quote from the article that makes me feel sick:  "If people wanted a diet to be cheap, they went to one supermarket," said Adam Drewnowski, a University of Washington epidemiology professor who studies obesity and social class. "If they wanted their diet to be healthy, they went to another supermarket and spent more."  WHY SHOULD THIS HAVE TO BE AN EITHER/OR PROPOSITION?

We live in a society where an extra 1,800 calories is produced per person per day, yet we have to choose between buying healthy foods or junk foods if money is tight?  

New York recently proposed a tax on soda which I think is a great idea.  Less healthy foods should be more expensive so we would eat them less often.  How about instead of subsidizing corn (much of which gets used to make high-fructose corn syrup which can negatively affect our health and body fat levels) we subsidize healthy food?  What if fruits and vegetables were cheaper than junk food and found more places?  What if we had to go out of our way to find junk food?  A couple of years ago I was in Japan and was taken aback by what foods were found in convenience stores:  sushi, salads, and vegetables.  You had to work hard to find any junk food.  

I'm not saying all healthy food is always expensive - you can certainly eat healthy on a budget if you are thoughtful and strategic.  What I am saying is that nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle should be available to everyone - if we can subsidize corn, why not other crops?

The second to last bullet point:  REALLY?!  What?  Oh sorry, I thought that holder on the machine was an ashtray.