Finding Joy Behind the Scenes
My friend is training for her first half-ironman in celebration of her fiftieth birthday this year. I am so proud of her. She is one of...
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Questions &
As a licensed professional counselor and a coach of people who want to be healthier and happier, I'm exposed to all sorts of great questions that people routinely deal with in their lives. It's my ongoing project to capture some of the most common questions and put the answers here, where anyone can use the information.
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Swimming Part 2: The Joy of Flip Turns
When I started swimming, actually maybe even before I was able to even make it from one end of the pool to the other without stopping, I...
Extracurricular Activities
This weekend I'm shifting gears a little and painting an old vanity that I've been using as a desk for my online counseling sessions. I...
Paying attention to Pain
The weather this spring in Wisconsin was wonderful. It warmed up early, the roads were clear, it wasn't too windy...before long I was...
Two-a-Day's
One of the hardest parts of Ironman training was getting out to do afternoon workouts. I kind of cheated myself, especially the second...
How triathlon helps me feel less lonely
I'm an introvert. Back in March when everything shut down I was secretly relieved that the pressure to go all the time was lifted. Of...
Learning to Swim at Age 40 part 1
Most of the time when I talk to people about triathlon they say something like, "I think I could do the run and the bike, but I hate to...
Strava and I are on a Break
Do you know Strava? It's pretty much like Facebook for athletes, with the added bonus of being able to see how fast and how far your...
Easing the Routine
Training for Ironman takes a heck of a lot of commitment. Obviously. Part of what helped me be successful in completing (most of) the...
First Up: Diet
I don't mean diet as in a restrictive eating pattern designed to help you lose weight. I mean diet as in the foods I eat each day, and when.
Challenges from Day 1
Maybe it's just me, but I find that it's really hard to not try to change everything at once. I have this vision of how I want life to look
Goal Selection
My brain says, "go big or go home". When I realized that it was time to start working towards a goal again, I immediately went to the...
Setting a goal and enjoying the journey
It's time to get back at it. Healthy living is the epitome of "what have you done for me lately?" No matter how great you felt yesterday,...
Q: How can I stay motivated and optimistic when "life gets in the way"?
A: This is so hard; I know. You've got a good thing going and then something throws you off, maybe it's an injury, maybe the weather...
Q: Is it better to work out with a friend?
A: The short answer is yes. Finding someone to work out with regularly is a great way to stay consistent with your goal of building...
Q: How can I stay focused on my goals when family and friends seem to be working against me?
A: Your family's sabotaging behaviors are about their own stuff, not about you. We don't know what goes on in other people's heads, but...
Q: I seem to be able to EITHER eat well OR be more active. How can I get these to work together?
A: A lot of times people have trouble with this because of some crazy stuff your brain does based on some long-held beliefs about food...
Q: Nutrition labels confuse me. What should I be looking for when trying to make healthy choices?
A: The healthiest foods are the ones without nutrition labels at all! :) But when you're looking at packaged foods, there are a few key...
Q: How can I stop feeling like a failure whenever I "slip-up" or "give in to a moment of weakness"?
A: This is black and white thinking at it's finest. Black and white thinking is what we call a "thinking mistake"; our brain putting...
Q: I lose focus on my goals when I'm stressed. How can I manage stress better and stay on track?
A: Stress has a way of forcing our minds into "tunnel vision" and "survival mode" which is why it's so darn hard to stay focused on what...
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