I recently wrote about how I got out of shape, and today I'd like to share a bit about my progress as well as a tip that has been helpful for me.

I've settled on biking as my primary activity for my get-back-in-shape campaign. I love mountain biking more than any other physical activity I've ever tried, and I really miss it. (It's the only area of my life where I'm a thrill-seeker!) I'm starting with road riding until I feel strong enough that mountain biking will be fun again. 

For now, I'm not worrying about riding for long distances. I'm just riding for 25-30 minutes about 4 days a week. This works well for me because I continue to compete with myself; there's a sense of racing against the clock to ride a little farther in my 30 minutes than I did the previous day, so that's how I increase the intensity. The shorter time keeps it from feeling overwhelming, and I can see my progress by watching my mileage increase.

On the days that I don't ride, I'm doing strength exercise or yoga. That gives me plenty of variety and keeps some options available for the occasional bad-weather day. 

One obstacle that I've encountered is that I can't wait to recover completely from the muscle soreness from my last ride before I ride again: if I did that, I'd never get any momentum going. I'm finding that I have to push through a certain amount of soreness and stiffness at the beginning of my ride, and the Five-Minute Rule is what gets me through that.

It's very simple. At the beginning of a ride, when my legs are screaming as I've barely started to ride uphill, and a little voice says, "Maybe we're too tired today. Maybe we should just go home and have a cookie," I make a deal with myself. The deal is that I will ride for five minutes ... and then I can turn around and go home. And I don't have to ride hard, or fast, for that five minutes. The only rule is that I have to keep the pedals turning fast enough that I don't tip over.

And oddly enough, always, by the time I reach the 5-minute mark, my legs have loosened up, I'm moving faster, and I have no interest in turning back. (Not even for a cookie.) If I still felt bad after 5 minutes, I would know that something else might be wrong: I might be coming down with a cold, or I might have an injury, and then turning back would be the right thing to do.

I do want to be clear that the pain I'm talking about here is that general stiff, sore feeling that comes from pushing your muscles a little harder than they're used to. I think of it as the "good pain," and I can clearly distinguish it from the localized "bad pain" of an injury like a pulled muscle or a strained joint. You shouldn't keep pushing if you can't make that distinction, nor should you try to push through "bad pain." If you're not clear about this, I'd suggest that you work with an experienced personal trainer who can help you start exercising gradually so that you can learn to check in with your body and be mindful about what you experience. 

What techniques do you use to get moving when you're tired or sore? 
 
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You'd have to be living under a rock to be unaware of the debate that's currently going on about health insurance in America. In fact, debate may be too generous a term for it, as the discussion has gotten downright vitriolic and full of scare tactics.

For those who are interested in health policy and in how other countries have handled these issues, I highly recommend T. R. Reid's new book, The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care. 

In a search for both a solution on a personal level and insights about other nations' health care systems, Mr. Reid takes his chronically aching shoulder to doctors around the world. He describes the varied recommendations he is given for his own healing and he talks with physicians and patients about what it is like to work and receive care in a variety of systems. He also discusses the history of the various systems and how they came to be. Contrary to what you might expect of a book about health care policy, it's a fascinating read. I couldn't put it down. 

There are two central themes in this book, both of which are crucially important as we look at reforming the US system, and neither of which is getting the attention that it deserves.

The first question that we must answer is this: Do we, as a nation, believe that some basic level of health care is a right to which everyone should have access? If the answer to that question is no, then we can stop right there. If it's okay with us that people die for lack of access to basic medical care, and if it's okay with us that people go bankrupt because of medical bills, then our system is fine just as it is. 

We must take our heads out of the sand: any of us may be one layoff away from being uninsured and uninsurable, and so any of us (except the very wealthy) are potentially at risk of medical bankruptcy under our present system.

The second theme in Mr. Reid's book, and the one which I've not seen discussed elsewhere, is the idea that our national cultural "personality" and values need to be a part of the conversation as we design our health care system. 

For example, equality is important to Canadians; economist Uwe Reinhardt is quoted in the book as saying, "Canadians don't mind the waiting list so much, so long as the rich Canadian and the poor Canadian have to wait about the same amount of time." 

The archetypal British "stiff upper lip" is reflected in the advice a British doctor gives to Mr. Reid about his aching shoulder: "You are living your normal life without much impairment. So [shoulder replacement surgery is] not indicated."

And contrary to the what the "socialized medicine" scare-mongers would have you believe, the capitalist ethic thrives within many of these systems. The difference, relative to the US system, is generally that the system which delivers a basic level of care to everyone is a non-profit enterprise.

These may or may not be some of the values that we think are most important for our system, but without conscious attention to these questions we will almost certainly not get what we want. It may very well be that none of these systems are exactly right for the personality and values of our American culture, but right now values are not even part of the conversation. We can't design a system that meets our needs until we've clearly expressed what those needs are.

What values do you think our health care system should reflect? You can share your comments here, and I'd also encourage you to share them with your friends and family and your Senators and Representatives.

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I just read an excellent and very disturbing article from the New York Times about the failures of the USDA to assure the safety of ground beef. The article is required reading for anyone with an interest in the safety of our food supply, which is to say anyone who eats food that they don't personally grow and harvest.

We all know that meat needs to be handled in certain ways after we buy it at the store: 

1. It must be kept refrigerated or frozen.
2. Meat should be used or frozen by the use-by date on the package.
3. Meat must be cooked to a certain temperature, which varies depending on the type of meat. (And yes, I'm aware of the irony that the safe-cooking data in the linked article comes from the USDA, given that I'm about to criticize them.)
4. Hands, utensils, and surfaces that have come in contact with raw meat must be thoroughly washed afterward.

These aspects of food safety are under our control, but it is important to remember that no amount of good hygiene in the kitchen will guarantee that your family is safe if the meat that you buy was contaminated at its source. With some highly virulent strains of bacteria, a very small number of residual bacteria can cause serious illness. 

I'm very much in favor of personal responsibility, but we have become so far removed from the sources of our food that we rely on the integrity of the food producers and the government agencies that regulate them. We have to trust that the USDA has our public health interest in mind.

The NYT article describes failures at several points in the meat-safety chain. Slaughterhouses, meat packers, and stores may all share some of the blame, but ultimately the USDA is the agency whose inspections and policies can keep contaminated meat out of our food supply. 

The USDA has been criticized for not having enough inspectors and resources to inspect with the frequency and level of detail that would identify hazards before they get into the food supply. While that may well be true, consumers need to be aware that guaranteeing public health is not what the USDA sees as its primary mission.

Here's the quote from the NYT article that really got me riled up: 

Dr. Kenneth Petersen, an assistant administrator with the [USDA's] Food Safety and Inspection Service, said that the department could mandate testing, but that it needed to consider the impact on companies as well as consumers. “I have to look at the entire industry, not just what is best for public health,” Dr. Petersen said.

Really? A meat packer's profit margin can trump public health? Is that what the USDA is for?

The USDA's mission statement doesn't specifically mention public health. In its Strategic Plan Framework, found at the same link, the activities at the top of the list are about "expanding markets for agricultural products." Food safety and health are mentioned, but much farther down the list. If the order of the items on that list reflects the priority they are given, then the USDA is more interested in helping the agricultural industry sell more stuff than it is in making sure their stuff is safe for people to eat.

Caveat emptor.

So how can we protect ourselves and our families?

• First, always follow the rules for safe meat handling and preparation. Don't cut corners.
• Eat less meat, especially ground meat. Ground meat is much more susceptible to contamination as any one batch contains meat from many sources, so it can spread rapidly.
• The safest way to get ground meat is probably to buy a cut of whole meat and either grind it yourself, or have it ground for you at the store. Many supermarkets can do this for you, and any butcher shop can.
• If you buy meat that was raised and produced locally, you may be able to ask questions about how it was processed and what testing was done for contamination. Small farmers tend to be more open with this information than large corporations.
• And, unfortunately, you need to remember that food safety concerns aren't just relevant to meat. Going vegetarian will protect you from unsafe ground beef, but similar issues are found in many other areas of the food supply.

If you've found this post thought-provoking, please share your comments, or forward to a friend. 

This always seems a little strange to me, as I'm usually eating my dessert or sipping my wine right along with them. I'm all about enjoying treats in moderation, not making foods "bad," and trying to make the majority (rather than every single one) of my choices healthful ones.

So lest you think that I have all of this figured out and couldn't possibly understand the challenges you face, I'm going to tell on myself and admit that I have completely gotten out of the habit of exercising over the past few months.

Although I haven't gained weight, my activity level has gotten way too low and that has affected my level of conditioning as well as my energy level. This came home to me last week, when I was playing baseball with my daughter and noticed that I was winded after running the bases twice. And I'm talking about playing baseball in our back yard, not on a regulation-size field.

So, knowing everything I know about physical activity, how has this happened to me? There are lots of reasons, some substantial and others silly. Here's one of the silly ones: I used to use a pedometer to keep track of my step count. I was doing really well with my goal of 10,000 steps every day ... until one day when the pedometer fell off my waistband just as I flushed. Yep, pedometer down the toilet. I replaced it, but the new one is larger and bulkier and I don't like wearing it. So I don't, and without that step count to keep me honest, I walk a lot less.

The point of this post isn't to give you all of my excuses for getting out of shape. The point is that even with the best of intentions and plenty of knowledge, life still gets in the way and obstacles present themselves. Now that I'm looking honestly at myself and I've noticed that my habits have slipped, it's time to make a new plan.

I tend to do better when I have a specific fitness goal in mind; in the past, I've used goals like a long bike ride, 10,000 steps each day, or a mountain biking trip to motivate me. It's time for me to choose a new goal. The first step I'm going to take is to brainstorm until I choose a goal that sounds exciting and fun. I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Do you have a goal that you've lost sight of? How will you reconnect with it this week?
 
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Take a few minutes every day to be consciously grateful for good things in your life.

Many things in my life have been difficult over the past couple of years. I've experienced loss, grief, physical and emotional pain. Are there any of you out there who have not? 

What keeps us from sinking into despair when things are hard?

I believe that it's gratitude for the good things in our lives (which forces us to recognize that there are always good things, no matter how hard things seem.) This comes naturally to some people; for others of us, the "glass-half-empty" people, it's a habit that we have to learn and practice.

There have been days when the only gratitude I could think of was "I'm thankful that there's a roof over my head and food on the table." It seemed small at the moment, but when I turned my awareness to it, I recognized that having adequate shelter and food are incredible blessings which I have taken for granted every day of my life. It made the things that were going wrong seem pretty small by comparison.

In coaching lingo, gratitude creates a shift so that we view our situation from a more positive perspective. From a more positive perspective, we can see more options. With more options, we feel more in control of our lives. 

In the language of mind-body medicine, gratitude decreases the production of stress hormones and lowers blood pressure, improving our health. 

From a practical standpoint, though, what I know is that gratitude makes me feel better. And that's reason enough to do it.

Because it's hard to see the good things when you're feeling down, it's important to cultivate a daily practice of gratitude which gets you in the habit of seeking out things to be thankful for. Even if they're as simple as the roof over your head and the food on your table.

Here are five simple gratitude practices to get you started:

1. Keep a gratitude journal. Every evening, write down at least 5 things that you are thankful for. At first, you may write the same 5 things every day. That's fine. You will begin to see more over time.
2. When you sit down to dinner with your family, go around the table and ask each person to share one thing they're thankful for. Your 5-year-old may say, "I'm thankful that you let me have a cookie after school." That's fine. There are no right answers, and sometimes it's good to recognize the little things.
3. Notice how many times each day you say "thank you" to someone. Say it with meaning.
4. With young children, read The Berenstain Bears Count Their Blessings. Help your children count their blessings. You'll have to give them examples, so it will make you more conscious of your own blessings.
5. If you like high-tech gratitude, check out the iPhone app Live Happy. It allows you to keep a gratitude journal on your iPhone, complete with pictures. They're handy to review later when you need a boost.

Today, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share my thoughts on gratitude with you, and I would love to hear how you practice gratitude. 

Habit #6: Substitute green tea for (at least some of) your coffee.

1. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee. (Caffeine can contribute to anxiety, elevated blood pressure, and poor sleep.)

2. Green tea is high in certain antioxidant compounds which are correlated with lower risk of a variety of cancers and other health problems.

3. It tastes good and generally does not require the large amounts of cream and sugar that many of us put into our coffee. (I don't know about you, but I really only like coffee if it doesn't taste too much like coffee!)

4. It's easy to make yourself: steep for 3 minutes using water just short of boiling. No fancy equipment is required!

5. There are lots of varieties of green tea with different flavors. My current favorite is jasmine green tea, which has a nice, delicate flavor that offsets the slight bitterness of the tea.

I find that I crave some kind of warm drink in the morning, but green tea meets my need at least as well as coffee and without the jitters, cream and sugar calories, and withdrawal headaches that I get with coffee.

What's your experience? Do you have a favorite variety of green tea to recommend?

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Eat more whole foods, and fewer packaged foods.

Why?

There are a lot of reasons to eat more whole foods, and each of these could be a post in itself... or an entire book! I highly recommend the books In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan and Food Matters by Mark Bittman for more detailed discussion.

Here's the bottom line as I see it: eating whole foods is healthier for us as individuals, costs less, and is more environmentally sustainable than eating processed, packaged foods. It also increases the social and spiritual "nourishment" of food, cooking, and eating.

How?

Buy and consume foods as close to their natural state as possible. Some people choose a raw foods diet, which might be the ultimate un-processed diet, but I don't think that's necessarily the best choice for everyone. A certain amount of cooking and processing of foods (such as pasteurization of milk) contributes to food safety, digestibility, and palatability.

Isn't it really time-consuming to eat whole foods?

It can be, depending on how far you go with it: there's a broad spectrum of how far you might choose to take these changes. Yes, it would be a full-time job to hunt, gather, and grow all of our food, and that's not what I'm suggesting. With a little planning, each of us can eat more whole foods without going completely off the grid.

How can I make it easy?

 Here are a few tips:

• Next time you go grocery shopping, look at the packages of food in your cart. Choose one item that you can make at home, eliminate, or substitute with a less-processed alternative.
• It does take planning. If you don't plan ahead, you will grab something in a hurry which is usually more processed.
• Read labels. Longer ingredient lists are generally more processed than shorter ingredient lists. Ingredients which aren't identifiable as foods indicate a more processed food. When you do choose a packaged food, the ingredient list should sound like a recipe.
• Try on a new perspective in which cooking is an opportunity to create a nourishing experience for yourself and your family, rather than a necessary evil. Stirring risotto can be a relaxing and meditative experience if you come from that perspective! Making pizza from scratch can be a really fun family activity which is a great substitute for ordering in. (Sign up for my newsletter to receive a recipe for pizza dough in the next edition!)

What packaged food will you eliminate from your shopping cart this week?

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One of the intentions that I'm focusing on these days is to get more exercise. Another is to drive my car less. Fortunately, these complement each other nicely and come together to create a third intention which incorporates both: ride my bike more. That's pretty clear, isn't it?

Here's an example of how easy it can be to fall away from our intentions. Over the weekend, I had plans to meet a friend for lunch at a restaurant about 3 miles from my house. At breakfast, I said to my husband, "I should ride my bike to lunch." He said, "Great idea!"

Then almost immediately, the objections started flowing.