'Guess I Have Some Reading To Do!

Happy, happy Friday!!! May this be a great one whatever you are doing!!

We woke up to snow ...
Who knew?

Okay, one of the things that I continue to learn about myself is how much I actually like learning. Or, maybe it's that I like really, really understanding ... the hows and the whys of all sorts of things. I like knowing all of the different angles before deciding and/or forming opinions or taking action, and I love knowing the intricacies that comprise whatever it is I'm investigating because it helps outcomes to either be anticipated or, at least, understood.

I sometimes surprise myself that I like diving in and investigating because I was the exact opposite when it came to running. I purposely did not read anything nor ask anyone questions about what I was to know or do because I was afraid I would intimidate myself and not do it at all. I like understanding, but I do not like getting overwhelmed.

There is sooooo much more I could learn about running, but I still choose not to. I thoroughly enjoy the groove I've found, and I do not strive to be "better" at it in its own right. I do, however, strive to continue and eventually be that grandma who is chugging along some Half Marathon route among the 30- and 40-somethings who will cheer me just for being my age (because that's what happens out on the routes!). Preferably, this will happen during a Disney Half Marathon, multiple times, but, I digress. (Can you imagine that Expo?!?!)

Anyway, while I was out on a run earlier this week, I was thinking about my life long intention to run. It was then when I could totally picture it happening, but I had a very strong feeling that, to ensure doing so, there were probably things I could learn. I like what I do and am proud of where I'm at, but I know I'm everything is not optimal for me. I might not want to learn more about running itself, but I do want to understand more specifically about what it takes to be a healthy person on the whole so as to support the running gig as well as anything else I want to do.

I got to thinking, and I realized the area I need to learn much more about to best support my goal is the area of nutrition. I recently shared a recipe here and noted that this is not an area over which I have any expertise but one that I've spent some time looking into enough to start refining some habits and/or swapping ingredients because it's a good move for all four of us. But, I also know there's much more to learn; I just never feel like I know a good, solid place to start.

Then, very recently, I found one!

I stumbled upon it because I found a recipe someone adapted from this book. Then I learned just enough tid-bits about what was in the book to pique my interest. I just started reading it, and here's why I like it: The whole first part of the book is an education in girl-talk form. You get a great overview of the basics of how food works in your body without it being so complicated that it gets boring overwhelming. Knowledge is power; they did a great job here for someone like myself who is inclined to just walk away when something I don't really want to bother with anyway doesn't readily make sense. C'mon, who's with me there?! I know I'm not alone!

It takes a long time to even get to recipe ideas in this book because there is so much information! What ultimately grabbed and held my attention was the specific notation about how nutritional needs change around the time we're 40. I was all, um, wait, I thought the big, around-40 thing was the sudden and seemingly universal need for reading glasses ... things are shifting nutritionally, too? *sigh* But, okay. Tell me more ...

I will be the first to fully admit I didn't really know about this nutritional change. I remember learning our metabolism takes its first dive around 25 (which I figured out when I was about 26 and felt better about myself in retrospect). Beyond that? I knew pretty much nothing. I never really thought about our bodies processing food different as we get older. I didn't know that happened. I knew we'd probably need to eat less, and I knew dietary needs should change should some health issue come along. But, in general? Nope, 'never knew things in the factory actually shifted in such a way that a little learning would be of huge benefit!

And, so, I read. And, tomorrow ... Pit Crew #2, Virtual Running Partner Extraordinaire Mary Kate and I run! We'll see you after crossing our virtual finish line!!