Good morning and welcome to a new work week. Yesterday’s Dolphin game was a great example of how best laid plans go wrong, the importance of course correction and why we always need an A plan, a B plan and a C plan, at the least! So excited to see Chad Pennington get back on the field, he was injured during his first play. Poor thing! So within moments we were looking at another game with Chad Henne playing QB. But then, sadly, he too was injured. Ouch! Tyler Thigpen, 3rd string quarterback, time to show your team mates, your opponents and we fans what you are made of. And that is exactly what he did. He finished out what was a very interesting game, and helped us to a 29-17 victory over the Titans. Side, note…This guy is very easy on the eyes 🙂
So as in any game, including the one we call life, it is always important to know that the best laid plans don’t always pan out–that “course correction” is often the way to go, and it’s best to have back up plans in order to be successful. These rules clearly apply to us when we think of working out. Maybe we show up for a class, all ready to do Zumba (or whatever) and when we get there, the instructor doesn’t. Is this an excuse to NOT exercise? I think not. Correct your course and go to plan B or C or if necessary, D! You are, after all, in a gym…NOT working out, should not be an option. Sometimes, life throws us a great big wrench and we can’t exercise due to injury and we need to really correct our course in a dramatic way, knowing that even as we sometimes have to resort to plan Z, this is just a temporary course correction.
Perhaps the scenario is one that involves eating. You are on a quest to lose 10 pounds by New Year’s Eve but you show up at a party and there is only fattening foods. You should already have your back up plans in mind. Make a small plate and eat very slowly. Carry some high fiber, filling food like a “bar” in your purse and sneak into the bathroom if you must! Sometimes seeing your goals through requires a little thinking outside the box. If you are leaning into the plant-based diets, you will ALWAYS need a back up plan when heading out of your own comfortable environment. Learning to look at menus in advance of making a reservation is really helpful but as a back up plan, I have found that most places are really happy to tweak a salad or throw together whatever vegetables they have in the kitchen. When I was in New York I ended up with the best looking dish at the table when 5 of us went to a seafood place and I asked if I could get a plate of whatever veggies the chef could put together, and simply grill them. It tasted even better than it looked and its presentation was beautiful.
While my New York friends were poking fun at alligators in my back yard, yesterday on Facebook, I was swimming laps in my sunny backyard. They can poke all the fun they want! I felt so lucky to be in the water, even though it is a bit colder than I would like. After a hot shower, I was back in shorts, watching football and eating a huge lunch. I cooked up 5 Gardein chicken tenders (they are good but take a little time to cook, FYI) and threw them in a small La Tortilla Factory wrap. With a side of leftover salad and veggies, it took 2 plates to bring all my food to the living room table (where we eat during football games). Mitch’s eyes widened from the quantity of food I had set in front of myself. He knows me well enough to know there would be no leftovers. All said and done, maybe I consumed about 350 calories and was stuffed till dinner. Not only does the fiber from the salad and veggies help fill us, but the water content in those types of foods are very high as well. It allows us to eat a lot, without wracking up the calories. But it being Sunday, what calories I saved on food, I clearly consumed in red wine. Balance…
My thoughts today are with my childhood friend Jay as he and his family say their final good-byes to their patriarch, Hal Prince. If you are from New York, the name may be familiar. Hal Prince Orchestras played the music at countless bar-mitzvahs and weddings in the metropolitan area. Hal, along with his wife Anabel, an accomplished singer, built quite a name for themselves in this business. I knew Jay as a “Helfler,” his birth name, but he has since followed in his parent’s footsteps and Jay Prince played the music at my fabulous wedding almost 30 years ago, and continues to play here, there and most everywhere. I understand that the Rocky theme will be playing inside the walls of the temple where services will be held today. There will be so much love and a roller coaster of emotions going on there, and I am sorry I cannot be there the family and their many friends who will no doubt be celebrating a very special life. Dating Jay in 8th grade, brings to mind my own very special, tender and happy memories of a very innocent time. I am so grateful that I got to see Jay, even if it was only for a short time, when I was in New York last month. RIP Hal and know that your contribution to the world was tremendous!!! Your gonna fly now…
That exact gym scenario happened this past Thursday night when Wilson called at 6pm saying he was unable to get to the 6pm class. Some people went downstairs to the circuit room, some left altogether (I don’t get that!) I carry printouts of workouts in my gym bag and started setting up, asking everyone who walked by if they wanted to join me. Phyllis took me up on the offer and we did an interval workout from Fitness Magazine that left us sweaty and breathless and having worked out every major muscle group in 40 minutes! It was actually a lot of fun and nice to do something different and unexpected.
That’s my girl, Carolanne!!!
Add on to my wish list: really good fitness socks & Bondi Bands sweat wicking head bands