Hello and welcome to 4-Minute Friday where I share, in four minutes or less, the latest things I’m doing to enhance my health, save money, and make day-to-day life easier and more enjoyable.
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What I Attended Last Weekend:
The Chicago Marathon.
Wow.
I had no idea what the hype was all about until early Sunday morning.
As I rolled up to the seventh mile of the 26.2-mile loop prior to the clock hitting 8am, the streets were already flooded — people were hyped to cheer on the participants.
The first wave of runners whizzed by at an average pace close to 4:45min/mile. That’s equivalent to turning up most treadmills beyond their speed governor (12.5mph!) and sprinting for over two consecutive hours.
Impressive to say the least.
Although the leaders were jaw dropping, it was even more moving to watch the thousands of amateurs take on one of the ultimate physical feats.
No brand deal, no interview afterward, no pictures on the podium.
Rather, these individuals paid money to train their tails off and put their body through unrelenting fatigue and exhaustion.
And there’s something to be recognized here.
Doing hard things is fun.
Doing hard things is rewarding.
Spoken from someone who has yet to tack a marathon medal to my bulletin board, the payoff of doing hard things is monumental.
Not only is there an immediate reward worth celebrating but it also instills a deep confidence within us that we are capable – we’ve done the thing we set out to do.
And it carries over to all areas of our lives.
Logistically, this year’s Chicago Marathon hosted over 52,000(!) runners – a record for this event. Speaking of accomplishments, the women’s world record time was shattered as Ruth Chepngetich went under the 2:10 mark, the first time ever for a female to achieve this feat.
Just as notable, six individuals over the age of 80 completed the marathon and dozens over the age of 75.
We’re a lot more capable than we give ourselves credit!
Sign-ups to enter the raffle to run next year’s marathon begin October 22 if the spirit moves you!
What I Learned This Week:
The United States food industry regulators allow dozens upon dozens of chemicals to be placed into our food that are banned in other countries.
Even looking at the same soft drink or cereal’s ingredient list, you’ll see major discrepancies between a label in the United States and one in the United Kingdom, for example.
Since the U.S. is less stringent, these food manufactures are literally changing their recipe depending on whether the product is coming here or going elsewhere.
The reasoning behind why such a thing is happening is finally coming through to the mainstream.
In a series of recent podcasts alongside a senate hearing, a well-educated group of individuals is starting to expose the people, often very powerful companies/agencies, who are contributing to the health crises we’re experiencing.
Whether it’s the obesity epidemic, cancer rates climbing, or Alzheimer’s disease numbers skyrocketing, the United States needs change.
Although I’m just skimming the surface for now, I may dig deeper into this in a future full-length post when the facts become more clear.
For now, the same holds true...
Eat whole foods and move often.
Coffee Recipe I’ve Perfected:
I’m a tried-and-true black coffee drinker. I promise.
However, I’ve been experimenting with a variety of espresso recipes using a Nespresso machine and think I’ve found one worthy of a patent.
Here it goes:
Get your coffee mug out, always a good start.
Put roughly a tablespoon of raw honey in the bottom.
Sprinkle in some sea salt, I enjoy Redmond Real Salt.
Turn on the Nespresso and let the coffee run over this concoction.
Simultaneously (honestly not sure why simultaneous is necessary) stir in the milk of your choice – I typically use regular Fairlife milk but have recently discovered the luxurious taste of substituting a Fairlife chocolate protein shake.
The new Sea Salt Honey & Chocolate Protein Latte™.
Thank me later.
What else?
Many of us experience rough stretches when the forecast transitions from the warmer to cooler months. Don’t let these temporary times throw you off, stick to your routine and they will pass!
Do hard things, reap the benefits.
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DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.