Diary of a Newbie Runner: Restarting My Running Life

{By Ellery Sadler}

After a lengthy 10 week vacation from running (because of knee injuries, not just laziness!) I have begun to run again and by 'begun' I mean start over. Take this piece of sage advice from a wizened old runner – if you start do not stop, and if you stop do not start again unless you have great mental strength and stamina.

I actually started running again by accident. I was all prepared to do my beloved P90X on a hot June morning, when my sisters and mom informed me that they were running (i.e. that I should run too). That threw me off. I like to plan to run beforehand so that I can ‘get my head in the game’ as Hailey always says when heading out for anything longer than 10 miles. I need to get my head in the game for anything longer than 1 mile. And this was going to be 3. For the first time in 10 weeks. Yikes!

But since I am bold and fearless Amazon-woman type,  I ran upstairs and grabbed my running shoes and headed back down with, when I glanced in the mirror, the halo-crowned face of a martyr. So we headed out.

A long black paved road stretched out before us, four adventurers seeking pain – exercise I mean, how could I forget? – camaraderie, and the glories of a hot summer day. It started out fine, my knees were not hurting, my music was playing, the sun was shining, and I was once again feeling that thrill known as the runner’s high. But do you know what is even more memorable that the runner’s high? The runner’s low. And that is what this run soon became.

After about a mile and a half, I desperately wished we were home again. My side cramped and felt like someone was twisting my bones into sharp knots. My knees hurt so I ran along the side of the road in the grass, which was scratchy and filled with bugs. My eyes glazed over. This was bad. This what I remembered running like – on my long vacation I had fondly remembered only the good runs, where it was cool and breezy and I was feeling fine – but this was not at all like that.

On top of all that, my two older sisters were gliding before me like elusive gazelles, and my mom was like this machine, just ahead, just out of reach, always going. And me? I was like an exhausted snail. Or caterpillar, inching its way along in the hot sun and hoping not to get squished in the process. Not very flattering, I know, but I try to be honest in these posts, and that is the cold, hard, honest, truth. As we rounded the bend, I almost wished I would twist my ankle, or that my knees would hurt badly enough for me to stop. But I didn’t twist my ankle  and technically my knees weren’t hurting that  bad... So I pressed on, following my fleet-footed relatives towards home.

Home. It’s a beautiful word. And a beautiful place. Especially after a run. I slowed gratefully to a walk as we came to our mailbox and turned off my music with a relieved sigh. First run after injury – check! It was victory. Running is always a victory. I highly recommend it as a mental sport, physical activity, great way to get your heart-rate up, and a way to get a daily victory in thirty minutes or less! But wait there’s more! Please be cautioned that before attempting this far-from-human feat that it is not fun, nor is it painless. I now remember the feeling of I-think-I-am-going-to-die. Running is the combination of two extreme emotions: I am dying and I just finished a run which = VICTORY! 

And so the tale of my love-hate relationship begins again. Believe me, there is nothing like being a newbie runner. 

If you are one, claim it. 

If you aren’t because you never run – get up off that couch and become one. 

And if you aren’t because you’ve been running for years and are no longer a newbie, then keep up the good work. You are my hero. Also, you’d better be fast because I’m going to catch up to you. Eventually. 

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Healthy Snacking!

{By Samantha Roose}

You wander around the kitchen wondering what you should eat...Your tummy’s rumbling.  And the next meal isn’t for another 2 hours!  What is healthy, enjoyable and will get me to the next meal?

Well, here’s a couple of recommendations and recipes…some not quite so healthy as others:

- 1 apple smeared with peanut butter or almond butter

- 1 banana smeared with peanut butter or almond butter

- Celery Sticks smeared with peanut butter or almond butter (can you tell I like nut butters???)

- A baby dill pickle rolled in a slice of ham lined with creamy cheese (this is one of my FAVORITES, but it’s not the healthiest option out there)

- A piece of lunch meat and a slice of cheese wrapped in lettuce (another of my favorites)

- Trail Mix

Trail Mix:

• ¼ C walnuts
• ¼ C peanuts
• ¼ C almonds
• ¼ C raisins
• ¼ C craisins (dried cranberries)
• ¼ C chocolate chips : D

Basically any combination of dried fruits and nuts in equal amounts.  Some other fun ideas: dried mango, dried papaya, dried pineapple!!!, sunflower seeds, cashews!!!...)  Have fun!  One caution though; get yourself a measuring cup (about ¼ C) and measure your portion or you might just eat the entire container!

- Veggies with Humus

Humus:

• 2 cans of chick peas/garbanzo beans (one drained, one slightly drained)
• 1/ C olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T lemon juice
• 2/3 C sesame seeds

Everything in the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until sesame seeds are pureed and the consistency is even throughout. Feel free to play around with more lemon juice, more garlic, and or more sesame seeds for an extra zing!

Hopefully you can survive till your next meal and maybe even enjoy healthy snacking!!! 

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Girl with a Gun: A Challenge from Regis Giles

{by REGIS GILES}

Described as a "loud mouth, young conservative focused on promoting self-defense and hunting," in the bio on her website titled, "Girls Just Wanna Have Guns", Regis Giles is passionate about protecting gun rights as well as encouraging women to take action to prepare themselves for "any threat they may encounter." She has been a featured speaker at CPAC, columnist for the NRA, and host of the new T.V. show, Primal Urge. And here is what Regis has to share with us at InsideOut Girl:


Being a self-defense and gun advocate did not randomly come to my mind as a lifetime pursuit.  As a child, age nine to be specific, I became active at the gun range and on the blue mats of the Valente Brothers Jiu-Jitsu academy.  My parents decided they wanted my sister and me to learn how to defend ourselves and operate a gun.  They understood that knowing these techniques were not only important for defending ourselves, but also in building our self-confidence and living a disciplined life style. 

Hunting eventually came along as well.  When I was thirteen I shot my first animal, a wild boar, with my granddad’s 30/30 Marlin.  I have never missed an opportunity to go hunt since then.  Being outdoors and active is one of my favorite things; however, place a gun in my hand and a hunting license too, then I am happier than a girl with a new pair of shoes.  The adventure, danger, and being in the wilderness, is what I love so much about hunting.  The outdoors are uncontrollable and learning how to handle what it throws at you and being able to adapt is another aspect of hunting I adore. 

Learning Jiu-Jitsu, how to shoot and hunt wasn’t easy. It was sometimes even uncomfortable; however, that didn’t prevent me from pursuing these skills.  Because I enjoyed doing each activity so much, I learned how to persevere through the hard times, which inevitably taught me the life lesson you must go through the bad to get the good. I have never stopped learning how to hunt, shoot and fight, and I don’t think I will ever stop.  Each field offers something new and different to discover every time.  I believe that is why I am so obsessed with them.

So, InsideOut Girl here is my challenge for you.  If you do not know how to protect your own life, go out and learn!  It is your life after all and learning how to protect it is what I like to call a “safe investment”.  Preferably, I would suggest learning how to shoot a gun, operate a knife and do Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (self-defense Jiu-Jitsu, not sport).  Learning each of these skills will make you a well rounded butt kicking individual, which would make any attacker sorry they picked on you. 

Lastly, go hunting.  Get yourself out of the mall and place yourself in God’s glorious playground.  You will learn the way the world operates away from society and if the zombie apocalypse really does happen, you have a head start on surviving it.

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Beauty From the Inside Out

{by Kelly Riddell}

Howdy and warm greetings to all of you from the wonderful state of Texas!  I am so grateful for this opportunity to write a guest post on this new encouraging blog.

A few years ago, I was able to travel to Virginia with my sisters Tara and Elizabeth and the Rebsch girls to join the Sadler girls in holding a conference for young ladies. What a joy it was to become acquainted with them. One of my great desires has been to encourage young ladies in the ways of our Savior and at this conference; I enjoyed teaching the girls natural beauty tips!

I would like to share with all of you some different ideas and thoughts on the subject of inward and outward beauty.  What does it mean to be truly beautiful?  How can I make myself attractive as a Christian young woman? How do I spend time in front of the mirror without obsessing and becoming too focused on myself and my outward appearance? These are all important questions, ones that girls ask and ones that need to be addressed.

First of all, true beauty could never start on the outside and work its way inward. The world would have us believe that if we will buy the newest and latest expensive beauty products, shop the latest fads and styles, and someday get enough facials and plastic surgeries; we will be well on our way to being perfectly gorgeous!!! Guess what? This is completely wrong! True beauty is not something that can be merely worn on the outside, without your inward condition spilling out from the inside.

A long time ago, there was an older young lady that I was acquainted with. I always looked up to her, admired her and used her as my beauty and fashion icon. I thought she was very attractive and I was always excited to observe what she wore, how she fixed her hair, makeup etc. I recently saw this woman again and wondered how I ever could have admired her and wanted to copy her.  All I saw was a woman hardened by life and used by the pull of the world’s pleasures and vanities.

You see girls, when we are focused on pleasing our heavenly Father instead of our peers with our outward appearance; our outward beauty only gets sweeter and sweeter with time. Girls, no matter how much we try and try, we all know our outward beauty just will not last forever.  True beauty will be with us always. So what is this beauty of the heart that seems to be so essential to true beauty? The answer is having a living relationship with our heavenly Father. It is the outward proof of Christ working within to conform us into the image of his Son.

After beginning by focusing on the heart, I am passionate in my belief that it is important to pay attention to our outward appearance. After all, God looks at the heart, but man looks on the outward appearance, right?  (1 Samuel 16:7)   Let’s be a good representative to the world of our Lord and Savior.

It is impossible to give you a list of rules of what makeup to wear, what hairstyle and so on because we are all so different. Let me just give you some general guidelines.

As far as hairstyles, I fought my curly hair for many years. We live in the hot humid south and it seemed impossible to control the tendency toward frizz. A few years ago, I decided to stop straightening and just learned to enjoy the curls God chose for me. Once I discovered mousse, I was able to keep it all under control!  I would encourage each of you to work with the hair the Lord has blessed you with. Recently, while shopping, I came across some tiny braids that you add into your hair as a hair band but I was disappointed that there were none that came close to the color of my hair. Suddenly, I realized that I had plenty of hair to create my own so I tried braiding two small pieces from behind my ears and crossing them over my head to create bands! I have received many compliments on them!

In the area where I live, women wear a lot of makeup. It is not considered gaudy or flirtatious; it seems it is just the way it is! In some of my travels to other areas, I have noticed that the women there wear very little makeup or none at all. Because there is such a variation in what is acceptable, I believe it would be wise to ask your father and mother what they feel is appropriate for you. My sisters and I went through a time when we thought more was better! We have since arrived at a point where we prefer to look more natural, just enhancing the features God has given us. After all, do you want people to look at you or your makeup?

One area I always covered in my sessions was not to over pluck those eyebrows! In general, your eyebrows should begin directly over the most inner part of your eyes. Too much plucking can create an odd look and sometimes those brows may not grow back! 

One of the greatest beauty tips I have is to exercise! It will help you to feel better and look better too!  Our library contains hundreds of exercise DVD’s and I love to rent them and try them out. I have found some favorites and try others for variety. Running or walking is a great activity when the weather allows.

Good nutrition is another backbone of beauty! I gave up sodas years ago.  If you would like to, just replace them with water with a squeeze of lemon and over time you’ll be glad you did. Enjoy looking around the web at all the great nutrition sites and start incorporating a few new ideas.

You are God’s creation so stand on truth and glorify God in your body! May the Lord bless each of you as you cultivate both inward and outward beauty.

Kelly Riddell is the third born daughter of four girls. Her goals in life are to honor God in all she does, be a shining light to a lost and dying world and live a life of service to her Creator. While living at home she enjoys serving her family as well as putting her energy into any ministry that God brings her way; whether it's discipling and encouraging younger girls in ways that honor God, ministering to families at her church, teaching music, or investing in her younger sister, nieces and nephews. She loves to spend time cultivating and enjoying her family relationships as well as singing, playing the piano and violin, drawing, exercising and enjoying God's magnificent creation. She thanks the Lord for giving her this life to have a personal relationship with One in particular...Jesus Christ. 

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Healthy Living… Journey of Grace

{by Rebecca Florio}

Hello, InsideOut readers! I am so excited to be a part of this new community of Christian girls and get to know you all. I am also absolutely thrilled to be sharing with you about healthy living since that is a passion of mine!  You can learn more about me at my blog, Pressing On.

I am just beginning my second year as a Dietetics major, because I love to study nutrition. My family can tell you that every spare moment I have is spent in the kitchen whipping up healthy goodies. Exercise is also important to me. Over the past few years I've developed a love for running, beginning with just a short winded loop around our block and growing until my first half-marathon this fall! Strengthening and fueling my body teaches me endurance, perseverance, and self-control -- all qualities that I want to develop to be fit for God's kingdom! On this Vibrance page I hope to encourage you toward that aim -- with recipes, workout ideas, and nutrition tips. Our health can have a God-glorifying purpose!

By no means am I an expert. Part of the reason I am so dedicated to healthy living is because I have struggled so much with reaching a place of balance and peace. I have been told by doctors to lose weight and to gain it. I’ve loved eating and I’ve hated the thought of food, fighting with both overindulgence and restriction.

But through it all God has been faithful. I look back at what was one time so painful and confusing and I can say, “It is good for me that I was afflicted” because God is good and is shaping the course of my life in ways I could never plan but are always best [Psalm 119:71].

Growing up, I was the "chubby child", the pudgiest baby of three girl babies, the one with the largest appetite who would much rather be curled up reading a book than running around outside. For a pre-teen girl wanting so much to “fit in” and be liked, it was painful to think that my size distinguished me from other kids my age. I felt it uncomfortable in my own body, lethargic, and unmotivated.

When I was sixteen, I decided to make some changes. I went to the library and checked out as many nutrition books as I could carry. I started reducing my portions, limiting snacks, and eating more veggies. I even started exercising — beginning with a jump rope in the basement where no one could see. And the weight began to come off. Healthy decisions became healthy habits. It was a natural transition that the more interested and involved I got into healthy eating, the more time I spent in the kitchen. A love grew for cooking and baking — it became an exciting challenge to find alternatives to oil, butter, and sugar.

Unfortunately, my  weight loss became a self-centered pursuit. After losing 45 pounds in about six months, controlling what I ate and how much I exercised became an all-consuming concern. My goal shifted from being healthy to being skinny, from bringing glory to God to making the mirror my idol. This was not a happy time. I wasn't able to focus on my relationship with Christ because calories, pounds, and clothing sizes haunted me.

Around this time, I prepared a lesson on Beauty for our girls Bible study group. I think it was the way of my hungry soul reaching out to God. I immersed myself in what God said about me — I am in God’s image, created with purpose, My body is important, testifying of God’s love for His creation, but it is not all there is. What I look like does not define me. As a child of God, but true reflection is seen when I look into the mirror of God’s Word and hear what my Heavenly Father says about me.

By God's grace, He led me to a place of surrender -- of my soul, mind, and body, ideals, hopes, disappointments, frustrations. When all of me is committed wholly to God, He works His restoration of beauty within me.

So where am I now? Still “pressing on,” but so grateful for the journey.  I love eating and cooking healthy foods because of the way it nourishes and fuels my body to run races, carry babies, hike mountains, canoe rivers, and be a strong laborer in God’s kingdom. I am studying toward a Dietetics major with the goal of becoming a Registered Dietitian that will help people like me come to peace with food. My dream is to work with eating disorders, helping girls see that they are so much more than a number on a scale and food can be enjoyed and not feared.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds." [Psalm 73].

~ You can read more of my healthy living story and thoughts at Nourishing Bites.

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Unbeing Dead Isnt Being Alive: InsideOut Health & Sports

{by Hailey Sadler & InsideOut Team}

Something inspiring would be a very nice way to start this blog. Something to convince you that healthy living is a vital commitment, which you ought to make in your life. But then, I realized, you probably already know this. I mean, I know it, and a Chick-Fil-A sandwich with two packages of sauce oozing down the sides still gets my mouth watering faster than a spinach smoothie [although Rebecca Florio, our Health & Sports writer will probably be able to convince us otherwise!]. The problem isn’t knowing. It’s doing. So I’m not going to try to persuade you of something you already know about, and know you should do. Instead, this blog’s purpose is to offer encouragement and insight into actually doing it. Actually living healthily. Living vibrantly alive.

Accordingly, to jump right in… what are 7 things you can do this fall to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle? As school and schedules pick up and life gets a little bit crazy, it can be more difficult to make good choices but here are some ideas to get us started…

1. Challenge yourself to make a healthy dessert. With so many bakers in our house, it’s pretty much sweet tooth central around here. It can be challenging to find healthy substitutes that don't trigger the “what did you put in here?!” response, but try digging around in cook books or browsing for recipes online and see what you find. Or tinker with a favorite and experiment with how you can make it a little bit better for you. Of course, if you find something fabulous, be sure to share it with all of us here!
2. Try a new sport. See what’s available around you and sign up for something you’ve never done before. Running, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf…. stretch yourself.
3. Sign up for a race. Nothing motivates you to lace up your shoes and hit the pavement like the knowledge that in a month or two you will be doing this amidst a host of other athletes in front of crowds other people. Even if you’ve never run before, pick a distance, grab some shoes and go for it. I promise you running is one of the most rewarding things you will ever try.
4.  Get creative with salad making: think of those lettuce leaves as a blank green slate. Skip the ranch and try a fall themed salad with craisins and walnuts, topped with roasted butternut squash. And don’t forget the warm vinaigrette.
5. Set aside time to do something active. Purposefully schedule a time  in the afternoon to close your computer, take a break from schoolwork or whatever it is that consumes you, and enjoy an activity. Ride your bike, go for a walk, play a sport, do push ups [if you can… don't ask me about that.] Or maybe run around with your siblings instead of just playing referee. For you study-aholics [not me of course] a break for physical exertion of some sort will actually increase your productivity!
6.  Get new music. If you're cross training, strength training, running, walking, or working out in some other fashion, a new playlist can sometimes be the best thing to get you going. Pick somebody or some band that gets you're blood pumping, spend the money, then plug in and turn up the tunes.
7. Take the focus off you. This is not about us, or our image... because God has called us to seek after something different – His image. That turns our whole view of health, fitness, and outward appearance upside down and inside out. These things are not an end in themselves; they are a launching pad for the greater things He will do through you and in your life. 

So let’s enjoy this amazing gift of life that He has given each of us; let’s take advantage of every adventure that comes our way. Let’s eat healthy [and still make time for ice cream.] Let’s run and not care how fast we are. Let’s play hard and not worry if we don’t win. [Hmm… scratch that. Let’s do our best to win, but still try to smile when we don't! Ok, so I might be a little bit competitive…] Let’s cook creatively and not be afraid to throw away those whole grain and spelt muffin failures. Let’s go outside and spin around until we fall down for no reason except that we feel like it.

He came that we may have life, and have it abundantly [John 10:10]. Let’s live like we believe that. Let’s live life with vibrance.

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