Free Fitness Friday: App based challenges

    Accountability can be a real motivating factor in maintaining a fitness schedule. I meet up with groups and friends several times a week for different types of exercise and the fact that I have an appointment (even if it's only in my head) makes me schedule my workout into my day. But accountability doesn't necessarily have to be face to face. A few weeks ago I did a 10 mile running challenge through the Nike+ app started by @deactivatedfatgirl (check her out on IG and her blog on tumblr) that showed my progress with 100+ runners across the country.



I didn't finish first...but I finished!

   Seeing everyone's mileage go up kept me on task so I could finish the challenge. Since then I've added a few friends on the app and the competitor in me has kept up with running because I want to be at the top of the mileage list, or as close as possible.
   There are many free apps that will let you recruit your friends to muster up some motivation. Check some of them out here and here . If you know of any more please send them my way!


We all need help and it's out there

   Many people, particularly in communities of color, are reluctant to seek out mental health services because of stigma. It's getting better but it is still an issue. We don't want to be labeled as "crazy" or seen as weak. I grew up in the church and was always taught to "give all my problems to Jesus" and for many years I struggled with depression without diagnosis. I tried to power through my depression and for my troubles I suffered from thoughts of suicide, days of uncontrollable crying, and not eating for months at a time. No one noticed because I was still being a productive member of society. I was still doing well in school (during high school and college), going to the gym, holding down a job and paying my bills. A lot of times we have a pre-conceived notion of a depressed person being someone balled up on the couch under a blanket and not leaving the house. Depression takes many forms and while it can express itself that way, there is also functioning depression.
   After having multiple emotional blows happen to me within less than a year (one of my best friends died of cancer, the best relationship I had ever been in ended abruptly, I was having trouble finding steady work, and my car engine blew up and I had to buy a new one when I was going through financial difficulties), I had reached my breaking point. I would go to work and spent half the day in the bathroom trying to stop crying. I didn't enjoy doing anything fun. I stopped talking to my friends because I didn't want to have to pretend to be happy. The trigger that made me seek out professinal help was my uncontrollable crying at work. Maybe it's petty, but my problems were messing with my professionalism and that was something that I was not going to allow to continue.
   At this time I had no insurance and was not working steadily so paying for mental health services was a big road block but I knew I needed to do it. I researched low cost mental health services in my area and found a program that catered to people in my financial situation. They put me in contact with a program run by a local university and I saw a therapist for a few months.
   Let me be clear: I was not "cured" of my depression. I honestly don't think there is a cure. What did happen was that I was given coping mechanisms to get through my rough times. I had a place where I could unburden myself, cry as much as I needed to, and give voice to the feelings that I felt I couldn't admit to anyone. I learned to deal with and feel my emotions rather than push them aside and attempt to put on a brave face. I learned to express myself effectively to someone when they hurt me which was something I did not know how to do. It was a judgment free zone that helped me put some spackle on the cracks in the wall of my psyche. The wall isn't perfect, but when the cracks appear I know how to patch them up.
   I still struggle with being open about seeking professional help. While I have been able to tell some of my friends about it, I have never told anyone in my family. I'm not afraid of them thinking less of me, I just don't want to answer the questions that are sure to follow. But I am grateful for what I learned in my sessions. They saved my quality of life. I feel like I am living and not just existing. I'm able to try new things and meet new people.
   If any of what I have said resonates with you, please please please seek out help. It's there and it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you are in the Maryland area and are looking for low cost resources, please click here. Outside of Maryland, get some tips on where to find help here.  It's all confidential. If you know someone who this may help please pass it along. Cheers to your mental health.

A moment of publicized insecurity...

   I've been chubby my whole life. My mom said when I was a baby I was shaped like a lime. By age 4, I was too heavy for her to carry me despite my many adorable pleas to be picked up. I can remember from a young age trying to exercise to lose weight. As I grew older I ran the gamut in diets trying to lose this gut o' mine: starvation, low calorie, no carb, fruit only, master cleanse (I only lasted 3 days); if it looked like it worked, I was trying it.
   As I've gotten older I've come to realize that the healthiest way to lose weight is proper nutrition and regular exercise and the last couple of years I've been pretty good about keeping it up. But this belly is stubborn! It's something that I know is going to take time to overcome and I'm taking it day by day but everybody has bad days. Today is one of mine.
   Some days I look in the mirror and I see how far I've come and I feel like the finest thing on this earth. Step aside Naomi! On days like today...I look at where I want to be and my lack of satisfaction with my physique has me researching weight loss surgeons in my area and feeling guilty about eating ANYTHING.
   So what do I do in those moments? I used to run to my nearest fast food place and seek momentary delicious solace which would lead to a binge that could run from days to weeks. These days I do my best to acknowledge what I'm feeling, cry if I need to, and use it as motivation to stay on my journey. No sense in sabotaging the work I've already done. It's like starting to build a skyscraper, wanting it to be finished and then knocking it all down in frustration. Madness. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. The point is that I'm trying and doing my best to stay on course. And that's all I can ask of myself. Maybe this will help someone who feels the same way. This is more a letter to myself than anyone else but if it applies to you, be encouraged. It's a long road to where I want to be but one I will gladly travel.

Free Fitness Friday: Running groups

   Running has never been my favorite activity but I've come to appreciate it over the last few months. It's free, it works your entire body, and you can do it anywhere. Lately I've run farther, longer, amd more often than I ever thought I could or would. I've increased my speed, and I feel a real sense of accomplishment once I've finished. Sometimes, however, I'm not that motivated and need a little encouragement/competition/accountability to keep me going. I do this with a running group here in DC. If you're interested in finding a running group of your own, on meetup.com there are tons of running groups ranging from beginner to advanced. Besides the exercise, these groups are a great way to meet new people.

   The group that I run with that is helping DC stay healthier and build community through running is the District Running Collective. They meet every Wednesday at The Coupe on 11th st NW. The runs are anywhere from 2-4 miles and incorporate calisthenics. At the end there is usually a physical challenge and the winners are awarded prizes (gift certificates, gym memberships, etc.) Everyone is really encouraging and they have pacers to make sure that no one gets left behind. I love this group because it's people of all backgrounds and body sizes engaging in a healthy activity that encourages bonding. Check them out on facebook and IG (@districtrunningcollective). If you're in the DC area, come join us! You won't regret it.


Photos are often taken during our runs. This was me last Wednesday running up the steps at Cardozo High School.

If you like what they're doing but don't happen to be in the DC area, start your own! Happy running!

Black Supergirl!

In my first post I posted an image of a Black Supergirl and I said that I did not know who drew it. After a little research, I found the illustrator! I want to give credit where credit is due so here is the full image with their watermark. Check out his work on his tumblr page and his blog at http://illuminatedarkness.blogspot.com. He's got some really cool illustrations :-)

I hate eating vegetables...

...so I drink them.

   I think vegetables are gross. If I had it my way it would be bacon cheeseburgers all day. I'm a meat and potatoes girl and prior to my mid-twenties, one would be hard-pressed to find anything green on my plate. I don't like salad dressing so covering my veggies in it gives a 1000% certainty that I won't be eating them. As I've gotten older I've become better about incorporating vegetables into my diet but by far the most enjoyable way for me to get them in is to throw them in a blender. I can get a large volume of them in quickly and sweeten it up with some fruit to make it more palatable for me.

   I've been experimenting with different smoothie recipes and I'm always looking for new ones. So what are some of your favorites? Any particular ingredients that kick your smoothies into high gear? I've been putting beets in mine lately and they're pretty tasty. Also how do you get your veggies in? Any tips to make those suckers taste good without smothering them in salt and butter?