Thanksgiving Throwdown

So, I’m sure we've all been there. In fact, for years, I can remember Thanksgiving as a day where people sat on the couch ALL day long watching football, then at 5:00 p.m., took no more than ten steps to the dining room, where everyone gorged themselves on turkey and starchy carbohydrates. Finally, the night ended with cake/pie AND ice-cream, leading to several members of the family complaining about bloat, fatigue, cramping and headache.

The holidays are wonderful—but whether it’s the shopping routine, the scheduling mess, or the eating mistakes—we get ourselves into these vicious cycles that are more detrimental than we realize;  particularly those of us with medical concerns that arise out of our diets. People living with diabetes, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and food allergies (just to name a few), often throw their better judgement out the window on Thanksgiving, especially when they aren't doing the cooking themselves. How many times have I walked into a holiday dinner at someone else’s home, looked at the table filled to the brim with food and said to myself, “Wow, there is a lot here I shouldn't eat.” So many. 

But instead of working my way around those food choices I would simply say, “Oh well, I have to eat what’s here,” or “it would be rude if I didn't eat it.”

When you’re attempting to create a food lifestyle for yourself that is meant to HEAL you, not HARM you, these moments can be crippling. So in the true spirit of this holiday, when sitting at the dinner table, let's think: what should we be celebrating?

We at Pretty-Sick suggest celebrating how eating a balanced, healthy meal with the people you love is more rewarding that the candied yams, mountains of mashed potatoes and pecan pie. Now, wait a minute: we’re not telling you that you can’t indulge here and there! But we do think that these are the moments to really see what MATTERS on your plate. Just as it’s time to reflect on what matters if your life.

And to those guests who still think their holiday-dining-fortune is in the hands of their hosts: Trust us, no one will be mad if you bring along a healthy dish that you KNOW you can eat. Just make sure there’s enough to share…who knows, maybe your chomping chums will want to see what this healthy talk is all about.

Happy Thanksgiving, Pretties.

Love, Rachel and Jaclyn

xoxo, Rachel

Running Yourself Ragged FROM Reality

J: “You can’t barrel your way through life non-stop trying to avoid it—you are literally hurting yourself.”

I got injured at the gym this week. It was due to a wandering mind, innocent carelessness and improper form; all of which are bound to happen from time to time. As a yoga teacher, I know these things. Injuries happen, mistakes happen, set-backs HAPPEN…but the sadness and prickly feelings of failure that directly ensued said mishap really took me by surprise.

At first it seemed like a natural let down, citing the immediate “well that sucks” repercussions:

-          Guess I should sit out this part.

-          Man, I think I have to skip the WOD.

-          Okay, I stretched…now why isn’t it better?

But soon enough, without my permission, this whole thing went Kamikaze:

-          You were doing so well, what’s wrong with you?

-          It was only a matter of time until you failed.

-          Think of all you’re going to miss.

Yet, my mind was determined to keep up the façade. Without acknowledging this emotional turmoil, I blamed the discomfort of the car ride home completely on the injury and probably made things worse. It wasn’t until I was giving Jaclyn the heads up on what had happened that I unknowingly let the truth slip out.

                J: “Ok. NOW do you think you’ll take a rest?!”

R: “It’s hard…it’s just the one place (right now) where I feel in control, I excel, and I’m encouraged; I tend not to worry about things when I’m working out.”

Wow.

Just wow.

It hit me like a slap in the face after it came out. These days, physical activity is so much more to me than just a workout, mainly for the good…but sometimes for the bad. As stress has mounted, plans have fallen through, and life has decided to keep me on my toes, I have thrown myself into the one thing that I know I can control. Instead of facing some financial issues, I pushed through my squat set. Instead of picking up where we fell off on the “home hunt,” I practiced my double under. And instead of taking charge of what I really want right now…I got hurt.

J: “You are loved and treasured by your closest friends and family and supported. You are remarkable.”

I know what you’re saying: “But Rachel, you always say that exercise can be a stress reliever!” Yes it is! That’s why you need a trainer/friend/Pretty-Girl to keep you in line. There is proper form in the movement, and then there is proper form in the mindset.

My prescription: start taking my own advice. Let the workout be my “happy place” because it’s good FOR ME, not good to DISTRACT me. I love the sweat, the hard work, the camaraderie, and the results because they make me a stronger, better, more responsible person. Losing sight of that--even for a moment--has me sitting the bench…

Guess this gives me time to take a few deep breaths, and maybe work through a few of those worries.

(Thanks, Jaclyn.)

xoxox, Rachel