The season is changing, and this is an especially good time to get out and enjoy the colors, and scenery. If you go out biking, walking, running, just pay attention to your surroundings, and really look. Before you know it, you have been out exercising, but have lost track of time because you have been watching the colors, and the change of the season without even realizing it.
If you use the trail, go if you can in conjunction with the sunrise, and/or later in the evening to catch the sunset. You won’t be sorry. Here are some examples of how the trail looks.
Now if you go out by the Lake, anywhere, you can get in some breath taking views. This is what makes exercising outside so enjoyable. Your mind just gets lost on all of the problems from that day, or if you go early in the morning, it helps set the tone for the day by getting you ready for it. These are a few examples of what I am talking about.
Unless you are looking, you will miss it. Take it all in. Enjoy the activities outside for as long as we can. We are in October, and that snow is around the corner. Be outside while you can.
And it makes it even better if you are out doing the exercise with somebody else! Time really goes by fast then. So what are you waiting for? This weather is not going to stay like this forever. Don’t be shut out! Get outside before the time comes when we are stuck inside. We have been inside way too much this last 1 1/2 years already due to the pandemic. Get outside now! Literally strive to survive. Just do it! You won’t regret it. Keep moving everybody!
Last weekend we were in Fargo to run the marathon, and this week has been a recovery week. Just walking! I also got to relax a little bit more when at home, and especially this weekend. We got to spend the weekend as grandparents and take care of our grandson Connor Daniel. Here we are just relaxing watching TV. Sunday noon we will have our Vikings gear on and watch the football game. SKOL Vikings, let’s go!
This is a great way to relax and recover. Just spend time with our grandson. He loves to go walking in his stroller too. We just had to wait a little bit for it to get warmer out in the day to go!
Life is too short to just go, go, go! This week was a great example of taking the time to recover, and relax. Now you don’t have to run a marathon the week before to take a week off from all of the activities. You do have to listen to your body, and when you need a break from the activities, then take it. We just have to make sure we are not taking a several month break, or a permanent break. We still need to stay active, and be healthy. Having a grandson now is a perfect example of why you need to stay in shape. I need to keep exercising just to be able to keep up with all of his demands! We are all tired at the end of the day, but it is a good kind of tired.
I drove out to Jackson Park this AM to meet with our run group. Sarah ran, and I stayed with Connor. I was going to run a couple of miles with him in the stroller, but at 43 degrees, that was just a little too cold to have him out there. We had him out of the car long enough to take a picture. When it warms up later today, then we will go out. He is now officially the youngest member of the Watertown Area Run Club! Anybody can participate!
We all need to take the time to rest, and recover. Listen to your bodies. Even Dakota had to get in on all of the activities this weekend with Connor. She is part of the family too, she just has to learn to calm down a little. But Dakota and Connor get along great. So have a good week coming. Stay active, but take time to recover when you need too. Keep moving everybody!
The Fargo Marathon was Saturday, and Sarah and I ran it with our daughter Megan. This was her first, Sarah’s second, and number 17 for me. Megan realized how tough those last 6 miles really are! We all were having a tough day. My calf was tightening up, and all of us, were just overall tired, and we pushed our way to the finish line. We came in with a time of just over 4 hours and 46 minutes! The biggest thing is that “we”, and many of us from our Watertown Area Running Club, were in this together. “We” each ran it individually, but “we” all helped each other for this day. “We” trained for the last 4 months putting in the long runs, pushing each other. That continued at the actual race day as well. There were so many of us who had helped us train during this last 4 months that did not actually run the Marathon on Saturday, but they were with us. It is the true meaning of “teamwork”. All of us need help at times, and all of us provide help to others. Our run club has worked as a team for years. There is no “me”, but truly “we”!
We started our Friday going to the Fargodome to pick up packets and check out the expo. We were all anxious, nervous, and excited for the day to come. ” We” had all worked hard to get to this point, and “we” all had individual goals, and “we” were all helping each other get there!
This was a sign that greeted us when we walked in. Your someday is today! Here we go!
Here Sarah, Megan, and I are coming back into the dome down the final stretch to the finish line. Relief! We were almost there! “We” kept each other going, and pushing to the finish line. We had some segments after mile 18 where we were kind of splitting up, but after mile 23, we were basically back together, encouraging each other to “keep going”.
“We” made it together! “We” may have been individually running, each of us for “me”, but we made it across together, as “We”! Those who were already done, or who ran the half, were there cheering us on. Then we all waited a few minutes for Jill to come across, and cheer her on. If you have never run a marathon, there is no way to describe those last 6 miles unless you have actually done one. That feeling of total exhaustion, everything hurts, but you keep pushing each other to do it. Once you cross the finish, you look around, and you tell yourself you did it. But nobody does it alone. Our individual time is ours, yes, but the process of getting there is truly a team effort. That is also what makes our run club so special. We are always there for each other. Cheering! Pushing! Encouraging each other! I would not want it any other way! Good job everybody! Keep moving everybody!
Corbin and Carson at Grandma Gerry’s & Papa Clarky’s Pumpkin Patch!
Pumpkin is one of, if not, the most common fall flavors that everyone enjoys. Several types of desserts have pumpkin added to them to increase taste or appearance. The pumpkins are ready around here so check out the farmer’s market, local store, or pumpkin patch to get a few for decorations and to enjoy these tasty and healthy recipes with! Here are a few healthy pumpkin recipes to enjoy this fall season without feeling guilty about eating bad:
Healthy Pumpkin Pie •1 can pumpkin puree •1 can full-fat coconut milk •¼ cup rolled oats •2 tbsp ground flax •1/3 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar •pinch of stevia or 2 tbsp of brown sugar •2 tsp cinnamon •1 tsp pumpkin pie spice •½ tsp salt •1 tbsp pure vanilla extract Directions: Healthy Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Preheat oven to 400F. Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then pour into a prepared pie crust (such as the recipe below) in a 10-inch round pan. Bake 27 minutes (it will still be underdone after this time, which is okay!), let it cool, then refrigerate at least 5 hours uncovered for the pie to thicken and “set.”
Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread •1/3 cup melted coconut oil •½ cup honey •2 eggs •1 cup pumpkin puree •1 tsp. vanilla extract •½ tsp salt •½ tsp cinnamon •½ tsp. ginger •¼ tsp. nutmeg •¼ teaspoon allspice •1 ¾ cups whole wheat pastry flour •1/3 to ½ cup rinsed millet (optional •1 tsp. baking soda •¼ cup hot water Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. 2.In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, and beat well. 3.Stir in pumpkin purée and vanilla, then the salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice. Stir in flour, just until combined. If you’re adding millet, stir that in as well. 4.Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then mix briefly into batter until it is evenly distributed. Spread batter into the greased loaf pan. 5.Sprinkle with cinnamon, and swirl with the tip of a table knife for a pretty marbled effect. Sprinkle a big pinch of turbinado sugar on top for a light, sweet crunch. 6.Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean. If the top of the bread jiggles when you pull it out of the oven, it’s NOT done! Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Cookies •2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour •1 tsp. baking powder •1 tsp. baking soda •2 tsp. cinnamon •¾ tsp. nutmeg •¾ tsp. ground cloves •½ tsp. salt •½ cup butter, softened •1 ½ sugar •1 cup canned pumpkin puree •1 egg •1 tsp. vanilla extract •powdered sugar (optional) Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt). 2.In another medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Use a cookie dough scoop or two spoons to drop one tablespoon of dough onto a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly. 3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the baked cookies with a light dusting of powdered sugar and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool.
I have been running for many years, starting back in Middle School. I started this mainly as a way to help me gain confidence, and to learn to stand up for myself. When you are one of the smallest kids in your class, and there are two of us (twins!), we were an easy target. I got tired of it, and running helped bring me out of my shell. It gave me confidence, strength, and belief in myself. As far as I was concerned, there is nothing more powerful than distance running for this. Everything in my life has been made better because of running, and I will continue it for as long as I can. Many people don’t think they can do it, or they are waiting for that perfect time to start.
Just like life, running has taught me how to handle things in my life better. And it truly has!
I learn something from every run. Every run is not a good run, don’t get me wrong. There are days when things are really tough. But, at least for my head, I have the ability to figure things out, and feel ready to take on the day much better. It is therapy, and medication rolled into one.
When things in life get tough, that is when I have to figure out how to be tougher. “Bring It On” is my mantra. I won’t be pushed around. I stand my ground. I believe in what I am doing, and have confidence to do it. That does not mean I am always right. I learn from my mistakes just like everybody else does. But it helps me get through the stress and pressure of medicine, and the fact that I not only have to take care of myself, but I have the lives of all of my patients to contend with as well. No easy task, let me tell you!
This is a perfect summary. It truly has taught me that I am capable of so much more than I ever imagined. I have also made a lot of friends because of running, and they all feel the same way!
Every weekend we have a group of people…friends…who go for a long run. Many of us are training for a half marathon, or a marathon, coming up next weekend in Fargo. If you ever want a true challenge, sign up for a marathon. The marathon is a huge challenge, but the bigger challenge is training for it. The marathon run is one day, and the training can be anywhere from 4-6 months, and that is if you already have a good base of regular running to start with. I challenge anybody to do a marathon, and not be changed as a result of it. The only way you will truly know how is by doing one! I kid you not, there are times when you think you might die! What does not kill you, only makes you stronger! Have you heard this before?
This is why we keep coming back. This next weekend in Fargo will be marathon number 17 for me. I have learned something from every one. Sarah is running, and this will be her second, and for my daughter Megan, this will be her first. This is why I am running it. I want to run one with my kids. Sarah is running to keep an eye on me! We don’t care about the time we finish it in. The only thing we are achieving is completing it. “Bring It On”!
I told you, after some runs you feel like you might be dying! Her Paula is demonstrating this. But after a few minutes she popped right back up and wanted to know when the next run was going to be!!! Until you push yourself, you have no idea how far you can actually go!
My forever training partner. Sarah and I started dating our second year in medical school. I knew she ran too, and I always made it a point to run past her house in Vermillion. And when it was hot, of course, I did not wear a shirt! Before long, she was running with me, and the rest is history! Hee Hee! Things are getting stressful again at work with COVID, so the distance running is saving my mind anyway. So that reminds me, I need to go for a run!
Keep moving everybody, for both physical, and mental, well being!
Packing a lunch can be harder than it sounds. Most people want something that is easy, healthy, and fulfilling that will give them energy for the day.
Here are some steps to take to pack a lunch based on MyPlate. You might find it is easiest to go through these steps once for the whole week or nightly. they can be used for yourself, another adult, or a child. Consider what types of food sound good. The importance of enjoying food can be underestimated. In order to get nourishment from food, we need to eat it…and enjoying food makes us more likely to eat it! Considering what sounds satisfying to you will help with the next steps.
Choose a lean protein. Ex: chicken breast, sliced turkey, taco meat with lean ground beef, fish, beans/legumes, etc.
Choose a whole grain. MyPlate recommendations are to make “half your grains whole” (or more). Ex: brown rice, whole wheat bread (for a sandwich) or roll (as a side), whole grain tortilla, quinoa, whole grain crackers, etc.
Add vegetables and/or fruits. MyPlate recommends half your plate be vegetables and fruits, so don’t shy away from adding more. Fiber in fruits and vegetables help keep you full. If you have leftovers, they can be a great afternoon snack. Ex: steamed broccoli and carrots, roasted cauliflower and sweet potato, raw celery, chopped vegetable salad, tomato soup, whole apple or banana, sliced peaches, grapes, a small 100% fruit juice, etc.
Add dairy. Protein and fat in dairy help keep you full while contributing vitamins and minerals. Ex: sprinkle your meal with cheese, pack a yogurt cup, drink a milk, etc.
Add an exciting flavor booster. Adding a sauce or dressing (such as vinaigrette) can help pull a meal together. Packing a couple pieces of dark chocolate can also the meal more enticing. Bottom line, this is the step to make sure your lunch is enjoyable.
Ask yourself these questions when you are finished and make adjustments if any of the answers are “no”. Will this be enough food to keep me full? Will these foods contribute positively to my energy level? Do I have proper storage and reheating methods for these foods? Does this lunch seem like something I want to eat? Enjoy your lunch with confidence in what you packed!
