Dirt bikes do the mind and body so much good.
Me in April: “Oh heavens. No lacrosse this year. How ever will I stay in shape?”
Compensate with more seat time, of course.
It’s been a wild year for my mental and physical health, but to know I went from narrowly being able to load my own bike to where I am now, I’m mad cool with that.
Riding dirt bikes has done my mind and body so much good. I let it renew my focus in the gym and kitchen knowing that taking care of my “temple” (as my Baptist family would say LOL) will make my time behind the bars a lot better and help prevent injury.
Anything that keeps me on track or trail longer, yes please hunny. That’s why I’m also #TeamEVS. (I run the Axis Pro knee braces with TUG Fusion socks and the R2 Race Collar)
Wellness is a huge part of my life. Since college ball I’ve stayed active- be it running, coaching a high school or youth team, playing in summer league, cycling, yoga, paddle boarding, you name it. It was about three years ago I decided to make a change to really focus on my fitness by developing habits that I could realistically stick to.
I was also always mindful of what I ate, but never tried any sort of diet. I still never have. I come from a big foodie family. It’s our love language and there’s no shortage of it.
It’s all about balance.
A few months in to my home workouts (using the SWEAT app) and running nearly every day. I started to feel better, have more energy and see results. This motivated me.
I’m a big introvert, so initially resisted going to the gym. I held off as long as I could before I acknowledged that weight training was what I felt I needed to take it to the next level. Turns out, it’s not such a scary place. Everyone minds their own business for the most part. I just crank my tunes and do my thing, which was often around midnight when I knew the gym would be quiet. I’m also a big night owl.
At this point, I’m learning new things and having fun. Progressive weight overload (over time, continually making your muscle work hard than they’re used to) was like a game to me. Habits were formed and I’ve continued to build on them over the years. You’d think that with my hectic travel schedule I’d fall off the wagon. Nope! Here’s what’s worked for me:
DISCLAIMER: I am a former college athlete and current high school coach. Beyond that, I have no formal training in the wellness fields nor do I feel I qualified to offer advice. You should always seek the advice of professionals. This is just what has worked for me. I hope you find it insightful!
EATS
I’ve never tried any sort of diet. My thought process has always been that if it’s going to cause too much stress to manage with my schedule, it’s not going to work.
Growing up, we knew to finish our meals or else no dessert or snacks before bed. If mom was in a particular mood, failure to finish your plate could mean you can go directly to bed. Don’t pass go, don’t collect $200. To this day, I’m a proud, card-wielding member of the clean plate club. Our meals were always balanced. A fruit, veggie, carb, protein and a glass of milk. Mom and Dad had no problem letting us eat junk food so long as we balanced it out by eating a fruit or veggie. This taught us balance.
As they say, “memories over macros”. I’m a firm believer in this.
Is one cheat meal, day or week of cruise ship buffet going to kill your hard earned gains? Absolutely not. The beauty of wellness is that if you fall off the train, you can easily step back on at any time. That first step is always the hardest and I think that often deters people. We can’t help but come up with a hundred excuses not to do something as means of justification. But for me, there’s no better feeling that saying to myself, “Damn, I did that!”
Math-free, guilt-free and misery-free. You won’t find a crash diet or quick fix in what you’re about to read. Rather, I’m just mindful of the following:
- Carbs. The more you consume the more you crave. Man, I love carbs, though. Carbs are not the enemy, but something I do try to keep in moderation. I limit my sweets, bread and alcohol. I’ve cut out pop completely and I don’t miss it.
- Alcohol. I’ve never been a heavy drinker, but I wouldn’t shy away from beers with friends after the races or a glass of wine with dinner. I ended up cutting this out almost completely because I wanted to have as much energy as I could the next day for work or the gym.
- Meat. Again, I am no expert in this field. Protein is a necessary component to my diet, but I also understand that portions in the US are out of control. I cut back on portions as well as starting experimenting with vegetarian meals to try something new. (This is inspired by one of my best friends and coworker, Ted, who opened my eyes to the options out there.) When given the option, I’d sometimes opt for meats lower in fat such as fish, shrimp or chicken as opposed to pork or beef.
- Water, water and more water. There are so many benefits to this inside and out. Nowadays, I have a water bottle on me at all times. Health purposes aside, water with lemon is hands-down my favorite drink. If I find myself being a bottomless snack pit, I will opt for a glass of water. If the hunger is still there, I won’t hold back, but sometimes our cravings confuse thirst for hunger.
- Raceday nutrition. I get so busy that I would forget to eat, (yikes!) only to find myself on the brink of fainting. When it’s hot out, eating is the last thing I want to do especially before going on camera. Nutrition bars are my best friend. I keep 2-3 in my bag. One of the first signs that my body needs replenishment is when my mind starts to get foggy. My job demands me to be on my A-game, so I’ve learned to stay on top of this.
- Me and my Red Bulls. Alright, this is a guilty pleasure. I’m not a big pop, juice or coffee drinker but this is the one sweet that I do indulge in when I need a pick-me-up on the job or when I’m late night road tripping. I’m high energy by nature. When that energy starts to dip below 110%, it’s time to bring call in reinforcements.
- Speaking of guilty pleasures… big peanut butter girl. Low fat and chunky is how I roll for the superior flavor and texture. I eat that sinful batter by the spoonful. A jar doesn’t last long in my house. Ah well, get them proteins!
- Fast food. By the time I leave the race track, my options are fast food or fast food. Is it great? No, but the effects I feel the next day from not eating (low energy, bad mood, headaches, foggy mind) are worse. I don’t get hung up on the fact that I ate fast food. Again, moderation is key. When I’m home, I cook often.
- Food is fuel. I don’t skip meals and I don’t shy away from snackage. I know that if I do, I will be feeling it. I don’t always eat a full breakfast, but before I got to the gym in the morning I try to have a little something in my tummy. Whether you’re trying to cut weight or gain inches of muscle, food is your friend. It’s just as, if not more, important to your fitness as physical activity.
- Food is not a reward. I don’t remember where I first heard this, but it clicked with me. A good relationship with food has been paramount for me. While you definitely won’t unravel the extra mile you chose to run because you wanted to enjoy an extra helping of buttery, cheesy mashed tates, you’re not going to get to where you want to be as quickly when this becomes a habit. Everyone has their workout motivation, reward system or things they turn to for comfort. Just be mindful of the relationship you’re creating between yourself and food.
- Don’t rely on the scale. I do not weigh myself. I own a scale, but I weigh myself once every few months but only if I happen to walk by it. Your weight can fluctuate upwards of 5 lbs from when you wake up in the morning to when you go to bed at night. It’s perfectly normal to lose inches overall but gain weight on the scale. What’s more important to you? A number or how you look and feel.
FITNESS
I’m in the gym 5-6 days per week for about for 1-1.5 hours. I’m not pulling myself up off the couch to do it, either. I understand this kinda of schedule is rigorous for many people. Mind you, this isn’t part of my daily routine because I want to lose weight. I know I don’t need to do this. I want to do it and it brings me joy and mental clarity.
I work from home when I’m not on the road. Working out gets me out of the house and helps keep me sane amid a crazy work day. I drink 8-10 ounces of water with pre-workout on my way to the gym. I love the feeling! This is currently my favorite pre and post-workout duo, along with my Hydrojug that comes with me everywhere.
I break my workouts into targeted days paired with 10-15 minutes of cardio:
- Arms
- Back
- Leg and butt
- Abs
My session typically starts with 2-5 minutes in the dry sauna to breathe, stretch and get loosened up. Sometimes I’ll do my cardio at the beginning, but often I save it for the end so I have more energy for my lift.
I had mentioned progressive weight overload. Every few weeks I’ll up my weights/reps depending on what I’m focusing on. Most of this year, I’ve worked on higher reps with lower weight in an effort to build “lean” muscle. Lately, I’ve been upping my weight with lower reps. I enjoy changing things up and seeing what results they bring.
One day per week I focus solely on cardio. Once I’ve ran through all four targeted days I’m pretty sore, so this day makes for a nice break. I enjoy the elliptical or the stair master at the gym, but prefer to run outdoors or ride bike when I can. I’m not afraid of the cold or a little snow/rain. I don’t time myself, I just set out and go for it. My mind truly shuts off. It’s an incredible feeling.
I loathed running growing up. I was never good at it. I didn’t start running until college. Since then, I’ve discovered the mental benefits which are what hooked me. I learned that there is always a “this sucks” threshold to break through where you want to quit. This usually happens to me in the first 15 minutes. Once I get through that, it’s just me and my jams and I can go for miles.
During the initial Covid shutdown, I had no gym. I hit my yoga mat at home and made up targeted routines paired with what I was doing for cardio. I eventually grew tired of my home workouts and got anxious for the gym to open back up, but I stuck to them. Consistency is key.
I may skip the gym if I know I’m going to be doing riding, on the lake or doing something active. I don’t get hung up on missing a day or even a few days of the gym when life gets in the way (Though when it’s been weeks I do get irritable from my schedule being thrown off). I remind myself to give me some grace. Sometimes it’s work, travel or spending time with family. You make time for what’s most important. When I was helping take care of my Dad, I wasn’t going as often and it didn’t even matter. Sometimes I would go after he’d be in bed. This tuned out to be therapeutic and the self-care I needed during a trying time.
TLDR: Too Lazy, Didn’t Read
I’ve never dieted. I mindful of what I eat and genuinely enjoy being active.
There are no shortcuts. Just consistent work.
If you hate running, don’t run. Enjoy what you’re doing or you won’t stick to it.
Learn to love yourself and your body. It will love you back.
Useless Factoids
- Workout tunes: Metalcore or rock are my essentials. BlessTheFall, Breaking Benjamin, Asking Alexandria, Beartooth and Bring Me The Horizon are a few of my favs.
- Motivation: My dirt bike
- Favorite post-workout muchies: Chips and homemade salsa or guac
- Favorite spot to run/bike: I’m always trying new places. What I miss most about living in MN is the amount of paths and trails around the lakes. I lived near Rice Lake where I would make the ~3 mile ride/run part of my daily routine. Spring, summer and fall, the views were amazing.
- Most essential piece(s) of gear: I have long hair, so probably a scrunchy. I always have an ear warmer band because I’m a bit of a wussy when it comes to my ears getting cold.
- Favorite workout: They’re all fun, or what I would consider fun. One thing I like to throw into an arm or back day is “wall ball”. For those who aren’t familiar, it’s a lacrosse thing you play catch off of a hard surface like a racketball court. High reps, working dominant and non-dom hands, stick tricks, anything to work the hand-eye coordination. Something I encourage my players to do. Like any workout, it’s a game of self-discipline that took my game to the next level when I started doing it in high school.
Ladies- what are some wellness guides that you live by? Hit me with your recipes, favorite activities and sources of motivation. I love talking wellness and am always on the lookout for a new riding, yoga or tennis partner!
xoxo,
