Be Active - Running Late

I'm convinced that I'm in on a secret. It wouldn't seem this way if more people talked about it or if I thought it was at all obvious, but they don't and I guess it's not. Normally tight-lipped when secrets are concerned, this is worth sharing and I'm talking! This heightened perspective dawned on me as I routinely walked past the gym this morning en route to my favorite running destination. Today, however, I took notice to the people I could see through the glass who were pounding away on rows of treadmills Not seeing how running in this way could possibly be enjoyable, I felt sorry for all of them; probably completely unfulfilled, unpresent, and unmotivated. They must not know...There is another way....
Running is running, right? Wrong! I choose to run somewhere beautiful, ever-changing, challenging and full of endless destinations. Where is this place and how can you find a location near you? I have good news, it's called the Great Outdoors, you can find it anywhere, it's always open and, best of all, it's absolutely free! As I began my run in Central Park, I tuned into all of the reasons running has become this craving I don't feel at all bad about feeding. I look forward to it and actually consider it an activity I enjoy instead of counting down on a digital display the minutes/calories/miles left until the self-inflicted torture can end. Don't get me wrong. Any efforts to raise your heart beat are admirable in the eyes of health. The benefits are apparent even besides the obvious; the über convenience of starting a workout as soon as you walk out of your front door, no special equipment is needed, no judgments, no memberships or fees. The earth has provided us with the perfect landscape to run on and use. So why don't more people use it? Consider this: Oxygen does, in fact, come from trees and other plant life, not an HVAC. Doesn't it make sense to be breathing in fresh, from the source air you need and breathing out the carbon dioxide plants need instead of running on some plugged in machine that is sucking energy from the grid and polluting the earth? It's the perfect relationship of give and take! Did I mention the part about no judgments?!

Be Picky - Start Your Day off Right

Ahhhh, Coffee. The best part of waking up. I don't have to have it everyday, or even the same time of day, but I do enjoy a big mug of a medium roast on a regular basis. However, there are some things to consider before ordering that tall-triple-shot-extra-foam-soy-latte because even if you prefer your coffee black, made the right way, a good cup of coffee can really be very green. I am sure most people wake up daily to the aroma of a pot of coffee quietly percolating from their own kitchens. There is nothing novel about coffee machines and the concept of making your coffee at home. More recently, we seem to have developed an addiction to specialty chain coffee shops with their calorie-laden treats, and we have formed a wallet-draining habit. 
Skip out on all those disposable cups, lids, and sleeves, conserve the fuel used to get there, and get back in touch with an age-old (and super simple) process. I was able to survive without a coffee maker in my apartment for an unbelievably long time. I was just fine picking up a coffee-shop coffee on occasion when I wanted to treat myself. Then I started wanting more control over the quality and ingredients being used so I decided to go kitchen appliance shopping. Of all the machines on the market, I walked out with the smallest, cheapest yet chicest coffeemaker of all; a french press. It doesn't even have a plug! it is the un-machine which only adds to the appeal and is beautiful enough to bring to the table. It's known as the coffee connoisseur's coffee making method for good reason and is so simple it makes me wonder why we need all of these complicated, expensive machines on the market or so many coffee shops for that matter. Now I can have an organic, shade grown, fair trade cup of coffee whenever I want and can compost the grounds when I'm done.

Be Active - Running Late, Continued

Admittedly, I have not always felt this way
about going out for a run. The latter was probably a more accurate
description of my feelings about partaking in such an activity.
Growing up, I just thought running was one of those things that I
wasn't "made" to do. I have natural inclination for many things, but
running was just not one of them. But It never came
easily as it seemed for so many other people, and the endorphins
weren't enough to keep me from quickly giving up. Still, I wanted so
badly to be part of this runners' club. So, after many sporadic stints of trying to make running my skill, I
finally if accidentally, became a runner. I had just moved to New York
and refused to tack a gym membership on top of my already inflated
expenses. So, I had no choice. I wanted to stay in reasonable shape,
so I ran outside, committedly. Now, it sure wasn't pretty at first and didn't
feel very nice in the beginning either. I remember thinking...I'm active, in
good shape, I'm the master of the elliptical for god's sake! Why do I
feel like I've suddenly become asthmatic?! I've come to accept that
this  is just the initiation period necessary for most to become part
of the club; separating the people who walk their dogs in
Pucci sweatsuits from the people who love their dirty running shoes
(and sport their pucci headbands when it's not raining). It's really
not that hard If you can walk and breathe, chances are, you can run,
too! With a bit of fortitude, and expanded lung capacity, I was
shocked by how easily and quickly I jumped over the hurdle. All of the
sudden I wasn't overwhelmed by all of the mind games I was playing
with myself that were telling my body ...you can't do this, ...you
should take a break, ...this sucks!
Now, running serves me more than just a way to stay in shape with a
healthy heart and overdeveloped calfs. It has become my cure-all, my
caffeine in the morning, my decompression in the evening, my best
brainstorming sessions, problem-solving and even entertainment at times So, my purpose here is twofold: Maybe someone who is turned off to treadmills will be turned on to this and adopt a healthier lifestyle and if you are already one of those horses on the track, maybe you'll be turned on to doing the same thing a little differently, a little better. The bottom line is to get out there and find a way to love what you do so you stay regular at it. Continually challenge yourself on your own time, at your own pace, in the most accepting environment of all. Now you're in on the secret. Enjoy the adventures that lie ahead and when you pass another jogger on the sidewalk, you'll share a knowing grin. The acknowledgment that you are a part of a very exclusive club.