Here’s a blast from the past from an article from The Dallas Morning News about quick workouts:  https://www.dallasnews.com/life/healthy-living/2015/04/27/dont-let-time-crunches-stop-yours

It popped up again today as a feature for workouts inside in the air-conditioning and out of this Texas heat.  It’s great timing because it’s almost 100 degrees in Texas, and these workouts are great for working out inside, where the cool air is blowing.

Leslie Barker, Senior Writer for Health and Fitness for The Dallas Morning News, wrote this article, and I was so happy to be contacted and featured. That’s me on the cover, and I was terrified about how I would look for the video and photos. How silly. It was a great experience. Enjoy the article.

When you have a bad run, you either turn around and say, “Screw it,” or you just keep going. For injuries or dehydration, use common sense and turn around or get some help. For mental breakdowns, push through it, and that’s what I did on my long run over the weekend.

I had one of those runs where everything went wrong. I think I had mentally blown off the run because it was a low-distance week for marathon training, and that meant a short run of six miles. Well, six miles without your running group at 5:30 in the morning, without your water stops, and without the group motivation is a very long and very boring six miles.

I had to make my rest stop my house, so that meant two loops. I forgot my water bottle, which is major act of stupidity in the Texas heat. Of course, I forgot it because I was too busy fiddling with my headphones, which broke the first half mile. Going out for that second loop when I was home was quite difficult with all the mental whining and “I’ll do the run tomorrow” excuses.

The bad runs make you mentally tough for race day. You just push through it and stop the mental games. Easier said than done, but it’s a process to change that stinking thinking.

So I might have a little issue with Diet Coke. I drink it on and off, and then it builds to one per day, and then I add in more per day if I am stressed out. Soon, I substitute it for water until I realize I have to detox again. What in the world? It’s Diet Coke. It’s not that big of a deal, but it is. When I get off of it, my face clears up, my sweet tooth fades, and all that water I hold, comes off. That’s just for me.

I started drinking Diet Coke in high school or maybe I started in college. I don’t know. I just know it was always there as a comfort: it helped soothe my anxiety when I wrote undergraduate papers, and then my dissertation, and, finally, my book. It helped settle my stomach when I went to Friday classes after late Thursday college nights, and it settles my stomach now after long runs.  It’s that carbonation and sweetness that hits the spot of any hunger that I have. Add that caffeine to the mix, and that’s a powerful drink, filled with memories and jolt of happiness.

As I detox once again, here are some substitutes that I use:

Unsweetened Green Iced Tea: It’s caffeine loaded, and you can sweeten it any way you want. Plus, it tastes really good when you are thirsty.

La Croix Water: I like it because it’s carbonated and a good alternative if I want something to settle my stomach.

A Big Gallon Jug of Cold Water: There’s nothing like ice cold water to satisfy that thirst.

Nuun Tablets: I throw about three of these tables into my gallon of water the day before a long run in Texas, especially during our summers. The tablets help with dehydration. I’ll start drinking the water with the tablets the day before my long run, and then bring it with me for after the run. It really helps. Oh, and the tablets make the water carbonated. Some of the tables are caffeinated, another bonus.

These products are what I have used and will continue to use to detox off Diet Coke yet again. Will I drink another Diet Coke ever? Sure, I will. What I have to watch out for is that I drink them in moderation, like once a week, as opposed to every day because then it starts to become an addition again.

Good luck to you in your own Diet Coke Addiction.

I like this brand of workout clothes called InknBurn: https://www.inknburn.com/   The fit is flattering and fun, and it’s comfortable. I started wearing the brand about a year ago when a running friend told me about it. I bought a pair of shorts and became hooked. It’s pricey compared to what I would pay, but the brand is worth the price because the colors do not fade even with all my sweat, and the fit is great. The 6 inch and 4 inch shorts don’t ride up and neither do the shorts in the running skirts. The bras and camisoles don’t chafe, and the singlets and long shirts are comfortable. I have not bought a short-sleeved shirt yet, but I have my eye on a Medusa design.  I really like the capris and tights because they’re not all black and boring; there’s some cool designs. The clothes are fun to wear. I also wear them to the gym for weight lifting and to Pilates reformer classes. I’m hooked on the brand. I usually look for the sales and the new designs that come out usually once a month. However, I have to be be quick because if the design is popular, it sells out fast. There are also designs on Poshmark and Ebay, but I have to be fast because if it’s an older design or anything related to Star Wars, it is snatched up quickly either to be worn or resold on Ebay for double or triple the price. Yes. Those designs can be very popular.  Workout gear doesn’t have to be all black and drab; it can be comfortable and fun. https://www.inknburn.com/