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.
Help me continue to grow my reader base by clicking the link below!
Hill Running Life Lesson:
I was on a long run without my headphones a couple weeks back and had an insight that I thought was valuable, but you can be the judge.
Although hills are few and far between in Chicago, I was traversing a decent upslope near Navy Pier when it hit me.
At this point in the run, I was quite fatigued from the few miles it took to get there and wasn’t performing at my best that particular morning.
On my first step from flat ground to upward slanting I knew I had a decision to make.
I could turn around and head back home on even terrain or I could dedicate the effort to traverse this uphill at a decent pace.
I realized shortly after... this conundrum is synonymous with something we ALL face at one point or another.
Challenging stretches of life are similar to hitting a gain of elevation during a run. And there’s one thing for certain, life isn’t always flat ground — these times will come regardless of how much we try to circumvent them.
The decision we’re left with is how to approach them when they arrive. Oftentimes our mind automatically turns to what’s easiest.
That being to slow down, take the upslope on our heels, or even come to a complete halt. Yet, we can make the conscious decision to lean in, put more weight onto our toes, and grind through the incline.
Whether it’s just a rough day or even a stretch of lackluster months, we are in control of our reaction to difficult periods. With perseverance, not only will these moments feel more like part of the journey and not the end-all-be-all, but there’s one thing certain about an uphill climb.
What goes up must come down.
Like the increase in leg strength that results from running hills leading to an easier time running on flat ground – tough times in life equip us with newfound skills and a sense of resilience that makes “good” times even better!
And makes future challenges easier to manage.
Keep this at the forefront the next time you come to an uphill battle.
(And on your next long run)
Incorporating Collagen:
I released a series a few months back on collagen supplementation. In the two-part series, I made known the benefits of collagen while also drawing attention to what it should NOT be taken for.
If you didn’t have the chance, visit part 2 of the series here to brush up on the reasons why you might want to consider supplementing with collagen.
At that time, I mentioned I’d be holding off because the cost-benefit ratio wasn’t there for me. However, the cost side of the equation was taken out when I was recently gifted a couple tubs, so I’ve been giving collagen a go.
While it’s too early to speak of any benefits I’ve noticed, I did want to share how I’m incorporating it.
Many struggle with collagen because it’s quite gritty and often doesn’t mix well with liquid. One way around this is to stir it in with a hot drink such as your morning coffee but beware, it may ruin it.
Since I’m not willing to do that, I’ve been adding it to my Greek yogurt or oatmeal. It surprised me how easy it mixes and even takes the flavor up a notch when using the chocolate variety. Just throw the powder in your base of yogurt or oatmeal with a whey protein powder (optional) and mix well before adding your other toppings!
If you have had a tub of collagen sitting around and are dragging your feet, try this out!
Trick I’m Using to Limit Screen Use:
I’ve been mindlessly using my phone more often these past few weeks.
I’m not sure if it’s because my training volume has decreased with race day soon approaching or just sheer boredom at times, but I like to be cognizant about screen use and my weekly statistics have been brutal.
And while there are many strategies to cut back like setting reminders, deleting certain apps, etc., I recently discovered a way to attack the problem head on.
That is, to make screen time less appealing.
We all understand that social media and phone use in general is addicting. The little dopamine hits we get from scrolling keep us coming back and make it absurdly difficult to put our devices down.
Enter grayscale.
Color is a key ingredient in the addictive concoction that cell phones produce. Utilizing grayscale takes away all the enticing colors and makes our phones less desirable to use.
There’s a shortcut which you can easily set up on your iPhone that allows you to “triple click” the side button and toggle between grayscale and color mode.
Follow these instructions if you’re interested:
Part 1: Toggle Grayscale ON
Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters > ON > Grayscale
Part 2: Activate the Shortcut
Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut > Color Filters
Now all you need to do is triple click the side button and you’ll be able to turn on grayscale in a flash!
What else?
Lifetime Chicago Half Marathon bright and early Sunday morning. Welcoming all good thoughts for this one…
Take life on your toes, no matter what the terrain.
If you enjoy this weekly bite of information, please share it with a coworker, friend, and/or family member!
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.
Great article! I love the tip on using grayscale for mindless scrolling. The shortcut instructions were easy to do and I'm going to give it a try when I'm on Facebook. Thanks again for the tip!!