HOW I BECAME A RUNNER

"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up."  Dean Karnazes

One of the key concepts I learned as a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) is that our bodies are intelligent, and they are continually sending us signals about what we need to feel healthy and balanced. Cravings, intuition, and, sometimes even health problems, can indicate to us what is going on with our health. I learned that what we are eating (food on the plate-what IIN calls secondary food) and how we are eating play a role in how our bodies function. Additionally, I discovered what IIN calls primary food. Primary foods are any lifestyle factors other than food that nourish us. Primary food includes relationships, career, physical movement, spirituality, joy, home environment, creativity, health, education, finances, social life, and home cooking. 

You may be thinking what does all of this have to do with how I became a runner. Here's part of my story. When I was in my early 20's, I thought being healthy equated to being thin. I thought as long as I was dieting, eating some veggies, exercising occasionally, I could do whatever else I wanted. I could stay up late partying, eat fast food, drink diet soda (my favorite was TAB), and smoke cigarettes (yes, I was a smoker in my 20's). I would like to say I was clueless about how these habits were affecting me, but, my body was sending me all kinds of signals that I was ignoring. I was anxious all the time, stressed out, tired, and moody. Hmmm...

Also in my twenties, I married my wonderful husband Bill, and, not long after that, we were blessed with two baby boys. During this time, my primary food and secondary food were still out of balance and an unexpected health problem was revealed. At age 28, I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. Yes, age 28! My bones were brittle and fragile. Looking back, I do not doubt that the way I was (or wasn't) nourishing my body greatly contributed to the diagnosis. One of the treatments for osteoporosis is weight-bearing exercise such as walking or jogging. I began slowly by going on walks with the boys in the stroller. Soon, my neighbor and I began taking turns watching the kids so we could add a little running to our walks ( I didn't have a jogging stroller back then). Over the next few years, running became a form of movement that not only kept my bone integrity from declining but also gave me a sense of freedom, happiness, confidence, and fulfillment that I hadn't had in years.

One of my sisters was a runner, and I admired her level of fitness and consistency. She was one of my early encouragers, and I am grateful for her support. Speaking of support, the running community is filled with many kind and inspiring people. Over the years, I have developed so many wonderful friendships with people I've run with both in practice and in races. Training for running and/or walking a race is a great way to set fitness goals and track progress. I have trained for races with many family members and friends. Some of my fondest memories have come from the training and preparing for the race. The journey is always different, and I've learned so much about discipline, perseverance, positivity, course correcting, mindset, etc. I've also learned to lighten up, enjoy the moment, appreciate progress, and have gratitude for the opportunity to move my body in a positive way. 

Running and/or walking is also convenient. I can head outside whenever I'm ready to hit the road. These days, I often run solo. When I run, I either pray, listen to a great podcast, think of ideas for a book I'm writing (yes, I'm super excited to be enrolled in the Launch Your Dream Book program offered by IIN - more about this later), or talk to a friend on speakerphone. For me, running is like brushing my teeth. It's part of my routine. I love it! When I run, I feel balanced, clear, energized, and happy!

In the last few years, I've added more walking, stretching, and some light strength training to my routine! These are fun additions that also work well with my current lifestyle. Another key concept we learned in IIN is bio-individuality. What works for one person, may not be the right habit for another person. Also, what worked for someone 5 years ago, may not be the right tool today. I have discovered ways to course correct to meet myself and my clients right where they are. 

Do you have a special type of physical activity? Are you looking for ways to make physical movement part of your routine? Please let me know in the comments how physical movement works for you, or if you need help creating a routine that works well for your lifestyle.  

Before you leave, I'd love for you to sign up for the Veg Pledge Cheat Sheet at the top of the Home page so I can keep you updated on new posts and inform you when something exciting is happening on the page. 

Grace and glory until next time, 

Jill