Rachel Dixon

Krista Scott-Dixon, Phd, on why we should do pull-ups. The Whole9 Five Movement Series: Part 2

OK FINE.

I know I’ve been absent, but it’s mainly because I have been focusing on work, some ‘serious writing,’ and trying to take care of myself!

I found this link this morning and it is helping me haul some ass. Look at all this exuberance. Exuberance is the word of the week, I think.

I especially like number 19. Where my former vegetarians at? Holler.

This collection on yogis with muscle is going to get me to my mat today. Gorgeous. (via Yoga Muscles | elephant journal)

Green Meadow Farm Tour 10.11, a set on Flickr.

Yesterday I went on a tour with my paleo meetup group to the Green Meadow Farm in Hamilton, MA. It’s a farm that is historically rich and it was quite a surprising and spiritually fulfilling experience. I learned a great deal about organic farming methods and was struck by the care that the head farmer took in maintaining an ethical, sustainable, and pleasant farm that still produced and abundance of good food - “good” in many senses of the word. Bonus: the marketing director (who is married to the head farmer! How cool is that?) is also a licensed paleo nutritionist, and she directed our lunch menu. Super cool stuff.

There were some not-so-great-things, too, but not from the farm itself. I took the rest of the day to ponder what exactly paleo eating is, why we feel the need to label ourselves based on certain behaviors we partake in, and my feminist recoil from criticizing the food choices of others. It was an experience.

More later. In the meantime, look at these fucking happy pigs!

Respect for the Type A yogi @ Whole 9 blog.

Gary Taubes and “food traditionalism” in The American Conservative.

Remember how going paleo is so expensive, what with all that local, grass-fed, humanely-raised, hormone-free meat? It’s days like this when you can stock up. I should not be nearly as excited as I am. Great for some Everyday Paleo meatloaf. nom. nom. nom.

Workout jam of the week. Robyn - Cobrastyle (Bloody Beetroots Remix)

I went two days without going to the gym or doing yoga and I almost DIED.

Today I did 45 minutes of intervals on the elliptical (juicing up that hip!) and 2 sets of the following circuit:

25 Grok squats (I hated this term forever, how it sits in the back of the throat and such. But you know what? It’s in my head every time I do them)
12 situps
10 push presses
10 pushups
10 dumbbell swings, each side

I really wanted to do a third set but by 9AM the teeny tiny gym in Provincetown was packed to the gills. Not a great circuiting experience. No bigs. I’m on vacation, and I’m sure to get a good clear head from this workout jam alone.

Turkey Blueberry Breakfast Patties from Cosmopolitan Primal Girl. YUM.

These will be made and frozen every week forever. I just have to find a way to not make the whole house fill with delicious coconut oil smoke when I cook them. Yes, I substitute the coconut oil for butter because I’m an addict. Recommended!

Yesterday I made a false statement, and it was one I wrestled with for the rest of the day.

In the midst of a conversation in which The Paleo Girl, The Vegan, and The Dude Who Eats Well were all laughing at the tweet: “Go vegan and just TRY to gain weight,” I said this stupid thing:

“That shouldn’t even be a reason to go on a diet unless your doctor tells you as much.”

Now, there is some practicality to this statement, which comes from a number of places. The first thing that came to mind was working as a young fitness professional (briefly) in my late teens and early 20s. At the time, the focus of my training was definitely on a “tell your clients that they want to be fit, not thin,” because it was obvious that many people who come to fitness professionals had underlying body image issues and eating disorders that are over the pay grade of your average trainer. It’s wise, and practical, and counteracts the endless barrage of the alternate view, which is now given subconsciously through all media: Be skinny be skinny be skinny.

The other place that this statement came from? My own desire to manipulate my body into the shape I want it in through diet and exercise. Sure, as I get older my focus is more holistic; I want to be healthy and energized and ripped. And yes, my ideal body is not necessarily stick thin (not that there’s anything wrong with that. No, really. I mean it.), but it is very low-fat-percentage and incredibly hard to attain and I war with my ideals and my activity and my feminism and my practicality every day. This is my fight to have. This is not anything that anyone can shame me into or out of, and in the end I seem to always come on the right side of health, one way or another.

I am telling you this honest(ly fit) thing because I spat out a defensive statement that is not helpful to anyone who IS battling their own body image or eating disorder or just plain vanity. You and I are not here to dictate how other people prioritize their values. If being thin is someone’s top priority, and I am not a doctor who can honestly advocate for or against that, it’s really not any of my business to be throwing around what one should or should not be focusing on in their dietary routine. In order to be helpful or useful, it’s probably better to not make sweeping statements like I did yesterday. Especially when they are mainly a lie to myself to make myself feel superior. (Oh, IIIIII eat for health and health alone. These abs are just a bonus. Lies.)

Additionally, the way we feel about our bodies and our body ideals are not things we can tidy up in one statement. They are complicated ideas that evolve and grow with us, change with our surroundings, and are often not something we’re even in touch with. It’s worthwhile to give myself and others the benefit of the doubt when we say something too quickly.

I saw a hip specialist later in the day with whom I joked about my weight. Or, I tried to make a joke about it and he went into the whole “YOU ARE FINE WHAT IS IT WITH WOMEN AND ESPECIALLY DANCERS THIS MAKES ME CRAZY YOU ARE PERFECTLY NORMAL” tirade which I’ve heard since I was a child. Now, I don’t mean to make anyone crazy, and I certainly am much happier with my body weight now that I am not a dancer now that my employment no longer depends on it. I did however stand up for myself a little bit. I told him the thing I have to tell myself sometimes: My neurosis about my body is mine about my body, and it’s not going to change any time soon. That is an incredibly freeing statement for anyone who has struggled with the duality of fitness being for both health and aesthetics in a world where one is supposed to be thin but never want to be thin.

Also I always feel a little bit patronized by men when they attempt to tell me that my weight is not something I should worry about. ie STOP BEING CRAZY WITH YOUR CRAZY WOMAN THOUGHTS. I AM A MAN AND I CAN TELL YOU YOU ARE PERFECTLY ATTRACTIVE FROM THIS POSITION RIGHT HERE.

What position is that, exactly? Maybe this one?

In the end, I mean to say this: we all need to be a little bit more compassionate with one another and ourselves in relation to what we eat, what our goals are, and what we expect from our bodies. I know this is a tall order, and it’s one I have to hold myself to as well. Acceptance of my own myriad and nuanced thoughts about my body, my diet, and what my goals are is just the first step. Again, it’s always good to end up on the right side of health, but sometimes we don’t, and that’s okay too. We’re all learning here.

Oh, and as someone who knows: you can get damn fat living as a vegan.

The past few days I have been fighting a great deal of intestinal discomfort, oh my. Yoga has alleviated it most certainly, but then the next day it starts all over again, usually midday, but sometimes bright and early in the morning. Delightful.

As with all things, sweat helps. I am beginning to think that I am eating too many nuts. I’ve fallen back on them with the fierceness, even when I’m not hungry. It’s the kind of mindless hand-to-mouth eating that is the problem for many, but I usually have a bit of willpower. I’m not sure what it is my body is craving with the nuts (fats?) but lemme tell you…the end result isn’t pretty. I’ll spare you the details.

My current plan is to stick to a very -clean- paleo over the next few days- nothing with excess flours, no nuts, no jerkys, no marinades, no Larabars (sob!), no dried fruits, etc- Just meat and veggies (breakfast!) and meat and veggies (lunch!) and meat and veggies (dinner!) and coconut milk and fruit for dessert. Also going to try to up my water consumption as it seems my body is craving it more than ever.

Oh, here’s my new favorite dessert- frozen wild blueberries (they’re cheap at Trader Joe’s!) drowned in coconut milk. It refreezes, and then it’s like having paleo ice cream!

PURPLE!!

Strangely tempted to go out for a small run to see if it exacerbates or alleviates the symptoms. There’s something weird about runners, isn’t there? We are just dying to experiment with our bodies to find solutions. Most likely I will just end up in a vinyasa class tonight. My physical therapist’s favorite teacher is subbing for one of my favorite teachers, so this is a good night to be open and learn some new stuff.

There was already a new arm balance this week- one I’ve been working on for months. Felt good in the moment but man was I sore the next day, mainly in the abs. It was also in a class taught by a sub, albeit a sub who I was familiar with. I like these classes; they switch you up over your challenge zone. Every teacher has something different to give, some new emphasis that expands one’s practice.

Now, to get my belly right. Lots of twisting, methinks.

For me, the fun part of beginning any new project is all of the RESEARCH. I am a scholar’s daughter, after all. I’ve filled my brain with lots of paleo “diet and fitness” books, some of which I’ve mentioned on the blog before. Some are great! Some are well, questionable.

One of the main trends I see emerging is the insistence that only Crossfit type exercise is -good- exercise, and all other forms of exercise are sub-par, ineffective, and maybe even bad for you. Well, shit. That’s too bad. i like Crossfit, but I like so many other things!

I don’t buy it. I can’t buy it, of course. My yoga practice for example, is twofold- it is incredibly physically challenging (bodyweight exercises up the whazoo) and spiritually fulfilling. Threefold, actually: it is amazing stress relief. My running (when I can run again…ughs) has a similar effect- I use one of my most important muscles, and stress and relax it (my heart), allow myself to meditate, and do something truly paleo: feel at one with the outdoors, with the world I live in. No other activity has connected my body to the ground in the same way, and I doubt I would have even come to the paleo lifestyle without having pounded the trail and the pavement. It makes me happy; happier than most things in life, and no book with inconclusive evidence is going to change my mind about that.

The current one I’m reading seems to think that runners are unhealthy because he doesn’t like the booties of the runners he has met. Obviously he has not seen mine.

I believe in sprinting and I believe in HIIT and I believe in grand bursts of heavy-lifting weights. These are great! But I don’t think anyone should be limited in this regard. The truth of the matter is, I love working out and I want to be active everyday. Every. Day. Not for 30 minutes a few times a week. Not just doing a few pushups and squats. I need a lot of motion as a former dancer and marathon runner. That’s what makes me feel alive.

I do NOT suggest that everyone else live that way- that would be crazypants. I DO suggest however, that people find what makes their bodies feel amazing…if they look amazing as an added benefit, rock on. That’s why I found today’s entry on Zen Habits so inspiring. In a nutshell: do the things that make you happy, keep it simple, walk and find your rhythm, and live life to the fullest.

I can’t agree more. Life’s straight-up fantastic. I’ll be that cavewoman in the corner in headstand, running in my dreams. K?

Had a much needed massage last night to cap my day off off, and am now so sore. This will not be much of a heavy lifting day. Methinks I’ll do some cardio for my brain this morning, and some hip hop yoga tonight for my body and soul. Nothing strengthens me quite the way inversions and flying poses do, and they’re so sneaky. You spend all this time just stretching and feeling nurtured and then suddenly you’re supporting all your body weight on one hand OH HEY THERE, ACCIDENTAL FITNESS. A good, sweaty time will be had.

In case you’re wondering how the whole paleoyogi thing is going- it has been amazing. Here’s my planned meals for the day:

Breakfast: Two mango chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s, some berries, half an avocado
Lunch: Leftover meatloaf with sweet potato, zucchini and kale, broccoli slaw with balsamic and olive oil, Coconut Cream Pie Larabar
Afternoon snack: Apple and raw almonds or cashews
Dinner: Salmon with mustard, steamed delicious broccoli, tea.

It’s a super fatty and delicious life, I tell you. Energized, ready to go, and I want for nothing. Ok, maybe I want for sugar from time to time, but a handful of nuts really nips that in the bud. Now, to work at keeping that handful at a handful, and not diving into the whole bag. I love nuts. What can I say? ;-)

Workout du jour was 2 sets of the following circuits:

Circuit 1
Therabanded squats x20
Dumbbell step ups x16
Mountain climbers x20
Slide outs x10

Circuit 2
Dumbbell row x 10 each arm
Pushup x12
Swiss ball crunch x 20
Reverse crunch x 20

Circuit 3
Lateral raise x 15
Twisting dumbbell curl x15
Triceps kickback x15

These are all variations on a workout from The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier YOU!, amended for my injury and for heavier weights. I love that book for its wonderful pictures and descriptions. Super handy resource.

I did these after about 30 minutes on the elliptical to get my blood pumping to the hip and more importantly, to my brain. It’s not running, but it will have to do. Yesterday I asked my physical therapist if I could sign up for the Tufts 10K in October and she looked both sad and like she was about to laugh out loud about it. Of course she kept her composure, but it’s no surprise that she thinks I’m out of my mind for even thinking about it; I had walked in limping from walking three miles the day before. I can’t help it. I miss the pavement!

Anyone have any fall 5Ks they care to recommend before turkey trot season?

I have been doing so well these days I forgot what it was like to have a trace amount of gluten in my system (my theory: BBQ sauce from the bridal shower yesterday). I woke up heavy and tired and tummyachy but nothing crazily abnormal. I just felt like I had a hangover, though I don’t drink. I woke up, walked the dog and tried to get myself to the gym. I procrastinated. I was crabby. I felt heavy.

I managed to get out the door, but I shortened my workout substantially- I’m talking cutting down a two/two and a half hour workout down to 45 minutes of HIIT on the elliptical/ and about 15 minutes of planks and situps. And then I was out. Out out out. Not a weight was touched.

And the HIIT? Well, the beginning was more like “Sorta Halfassed Intense-ish Interval Training.” You may have heard of it. SHIIT. I don’t recommend it.

Anyway, left the gym and went to my local farmer’s market, flirted with the meat man some more, and got some grass fed Italian sausage and ground beef.

Last night I had grain fed beef for the first time in a long time. Oh man. It was so sad.

This is my attempt to be normal while eating at Uno’s. Dad had a delicious looking fish and chips plate, and my brother had a pepperoni pizza with a wheat crust. THEY WERE KILLING ME.

I’m kidding, actually. I don’t want for much these days. We went to a game at Fenway and really the only things I wanted and couldn’t have were popcorn and ice cream (it was 90+ degrees, and we were in the bleachers). I stayed far away. My one non-paleo concession? Diet Coke. Won’t be doing that again for a while, but I forgot how tasty those chemicals are. Mmmm, chemicals.

Tomorrow I have physical therapy in the morning. Before that, I’ll start the day with some elliptical work just to get those joints moving. Owie hips in the AM. After a long day at work, I’ll be heading to a yin yoga class (I can’t recommend yin yoga enough, especially for those of us used to jumping and pulling and jazzing all around. It’s a game changer.), before coming home to cook up some of the AMAZING meatloaf from Everyday Paleo. I’m going to try to shove some stealth veggies in there this time; we’ll see how it goes.

I promised the meat man a slice, after all.

Dudes. Amazon is having some epic Kindle sale ($2.99 and under, what what?!) and some of the health and fitness selections aren’t total crap. Check it!

Everyday Pilates, The Warrior Diet, Run Your Butt Off, the New Evolution Diet, Stretching Anatomy, are some of the ones I just picked up. Been meaning to read these for quite some time!

Kindle Fitness Books on Sale

Yesterday a woman collapsed in the locker room at the gym after my physical therapy session. She was much older than me, and had fallen off of the bench she had intended to sit on. So of course, I tried to help her up, because I’m superwoman and I bench a million and I squat like no one has ever squatted before. Have you seen my Superwoman thighs?

Well, I made it halfway. The poor thing had to half help herself up as I buckled under her. It was rough, and a blow to both our egos. Hers more than mine, but man, I wanted to help so much more.

You know what she said to me that just killed me? “I don’t feel that old. But I guess. I guess I am.”

Oooof. And still! She was at the gym on a Monday morning! This woman kicks ass.

As a result of this interaction and my failure to swoop in with my cape waving in the wind, I started to ante up my “lighter” workouts. I can’t do a lot of the more explosive work I’d like to because that wouldn’t be so great for my hip, but I managed to pump out the following quickie before heading into work:

30 minutes elliptical- light intervals without too much resistance- tamped down resistance if my hip hurt (Hi, my PT!!)

2 circuits of the following:

Goblet squat x15
Single arm cable row x12
Dumbbell bicep curls x12
Kettlebell swings x15

And extended stretch time like wooooooooah. So good.

I chose this sequence because I had done some yoga last night and while I think yoga is GREAT for my thighs, chest, and triceps, the places that I find often get less love are some of my favorite “show off” muscles (biceps! shoulders!), as well as ones that would really help, say, lift old ladies off the ground. It’s not the most dynamic set, but in a pinch it will do to round out a heavy yoga week. I had enough energy to do another set, but alas, not enough time. It’s ok, I’ll be back at the gym in no time.

Like, tomorrow morning.

I love HIIT!

atalantefit:

Credit: www.greatist.com

You guys. I just found out about Chowstalker. What can I say? I’m drooling as I have my coffee. Loads of paleo and low carb recipes with pictures.

I’m going to have to get a steak before I hit up this Forrest Yoga class this morning. I’m sure I’ll be fine once we get to core work, right?

Bobcat Goldthwait (of all people), via The Rumpus.net

all part of the bluff
you didn’t win four
World Series of Poker without
a master’s in
mind reading and arithmetic,
nerves of steel to match.

-Economist issue 8784, May 12-18, 2012.

caveats: i sometimes remove words. never add.

Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, via a tattoo on Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos

“I give thanks for this world as a place to learn.”

Lyrics here.

Jorge Luis Borges, Other Inquisitions, 1937-52, trans. Ruth L.C. Simms (via proustitute)

Poet/Pin Up

theslantcreative:

Carl Sandburg & Marilyn Monroe by Len Steckler

“The Prelude”, Matthew Zapruder, Come on All You Ghosts

“Schwinn”, Matthew Zapruder, from Come on All You Ghosts. I want to ingest every poem.

Trisha Brown- Accumulation with Talking plus Water Motor- dir. Jonathan Demme

GRICHKA C LA HYPE 2012

Aggressive. Linear. Technique for days. (Ricardo made me watch this and now I can’t stop watching.)

The New Yorker, on “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”. Assholes.

Saturday History Lesson: Flannery O’Connor And Betty Hester - The Rumpus.net

I am always looking for this painting for one thing or another. You stay here now.

fckyeaharthistory:

Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Rudolf II (Holy Roman Emperor) painted as Vertumnus, Roman God of the seasons, 1590-1. Oil on canvas 

John Wolfgang von Goethe (via bardsandsages)

The Millions : Even David Foster Wallace Nods

Words that tickled me this morning.

Anne Sexton, With Mercy For The Greedy

Amit Majmudar, The Servant of Two Masters | Kenyon Review Online

When pretty Princess Margaret asked him
whether he wasn’t afraid
to play
that way-

As he balanced a sandwich
And a cup of tea
At Buckingham Palace…
*

He would not mention poverty.

*(after the team’s glorious 1-2 Olympic loss to booted France)

- Obituary: Sailen Manna, The Economist, March 17-23, 2012

NOT EXUBERANT ENOUGH. (via | GORILLA VS. BEAR)

Ernest Hemingway in Midnight in Paris.

On ESPN W, a fascinating little list of the history of great moments in women’s fashion in sport. Venus Williams should take up spots 5-10, but man…the white bodysuit! The hijab!

Surprise! My favorite look from Pierre Balmain is a black maxi-drapey dress with mega cleav. That’s a surprise right? Sometimes I forget what surprises are. Those are the things that make you think you keep liking exactly the same thing from different sources even though they are presented to you in infinitely different and and exciting and new ways, right? OK, whatever that is, then. (via Style.com)

Everything at Chloé looked so comfy. Here’s my favorite. Bloomers, y’all! (via Chloé Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection Slideshow on Style.com)

Chanel runway. (via Instagram)

Favorite from Gaultier F12. Honestly I can’t tell if this is my favorite look (there were many), or if I just love the smirk. (via Style.com)

Favorite from Miyake F12. This is one way to make earth tones not-boring. (via Issey Miyake Fall 2012 Ready-to-Wear Collection Slideshow on Style.com)

Everything exploded at the end of the Lanvin show. Colors and ruffles and this number that looks to be drenched in that alcohol spiked whipped cream. I was watching the dress in motion (you can too, if you go to the clickthrough), and it looks like Aymeline is LOVING EVERY MOMENT. Red accessories with black and white. Not rocket science, but yes yes yes yes yes. (via Style.com)

More wrapping and cutting at Yamamoto. YesMaamoto, for me. Favorite from F12.

The things that designers are doing with leather are really getting me excited. This is more from Vionnet. (via Style.com)

Favorite from Vionnet F12. (via Style.com)

Only half joking when I say this is my favorite from Dior F12. (via Style.com)

This actually isn’t my favorite look from Dior F12. I just missed Joan Smalls. (via Style.com)

Shapey drapey. (The cutout dresses are worth a look as well) Favorite from Chalayan F12. (via Style.com)

My favorite from Balmain F12 is not one of the Fabrége egg-esque numbers, but I think it picks up on the same palette. Leather + velvet, to keep your dry cleaner busy. (via Fashionista)

Guillaume Henry showed a collection of lazer-cut lace skirts, traditional fall colored knits, and sharp looking shorts for Carven Fall 12. It was one of the more colorful palettes thus far, allegedly inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s “Garden of Earthly Delights.” I’m loving the striped color combination on these pants, and and I would like to go dancing in the shorts-and-blazer combo above. I think he may have also sold me on the T-strap platform. Miracles do happen in Paris.

RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS RICK OWENS.

RICK.

OWENS.

(favorite from F12) (via Style.com)

Balenciaga is like a new Autechre album. I never know I like it until five years later, when I’m ready for it. That said, this is my favorite of F12. (via Style.com)

Favorite (too hard to choose, I am probably going to rescind this) from Demeulemeester F12. (via Style)

Favorite from Mugler F12.

Pugh-alism. (F12. I don’t have a favorite. I just love the entirety of the thing. Focused and feathered.)

EDIT: Show better when analyzed while listening to The Birds by Elbow. You’re welcome.