Week 3

My goal this week is not to snack after dinner - roughly 8 pm. I know I do a fair amount of late night munching, even when I'm not that hungry, and it's usually junk food. I notice that I tend to get heartburn at night when I've ate a lot late in the evening, or had a Coke after dinner. So, I am hoping this is a good step toward both feeling better and eating healthier.

Weekly goals

Hey family,

Figured I'd see about getting the blog going again.

I'm planning to set some weekly goals that I'll try to implement throughout the year, but will focus on one week at a time. The first week was cutting out soda/pop, coffee, and alcohol. I've been doing water and tea instead. This is the second week, and I am trying to run 4 miles during the week. I'll let you know what new pieces I add each week.

By the way, the water and tea thing is great. I was really tired the first few days as my body withdrew from caffeine, but now I feel great. Less heartburn, same amount of energy with less crashes throughout the day, and I feel a lot less bloated, even after big meals. So I recommend that one to all of you.

Caleb

Sugar: A Break Up Story

Back off sugar, I am kicking you outta my life, again. It is probably going to be really hard considering my deep love for anything sweet and Chile´s affinity for you, but I am going to do it. You will be out and I shall be sane.
Love,
Hannah


Here are the things I have been thinking about while stuck in a hotel in Southern Chile. Awesome, I know. Anyone want to join me?

2 months

Another year has come and gone and tomorrow will be the 8th (!) anniversary of Dad's passing. I don't know what to say about the significance of it. I know that it still hurts to think about that day 8 years ago, and many of the moments since. I think about how different all of our lives are, and that makes me incredibly sad, even though I think most of the changes were great ones. I really have a hard time thinking about how life would be these days if he were still here.

Anyway, the point of the blog today is to say that, as I posted last week, I've been really trying to recommit to fitness, and to make some positive changes in my life, but am having a hard time following through on them. I've decided today that one thing that might help is to have my own physical/spiritual/mental journey from Feb 16 to April 16, a couple of days it is easy for me to mark. It also nicely coincides with Lent, which I don't really observe anymore, but maybe it will make it easier to cut out the Coke and chocolate when everyone else is doing something similar.

So, Dad, I normally mark your passing with a Coke, some Dots, and usually some other treats that remind me of you. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, and will probably go back to that routine in years to come. But this year, I'm going to honor you tomorrow by starting a couple months of total-body wellness.

Reclaiming Health

Hello Family,

A lot of things have been coming together that have collectively convinced me to start blogging a bit again. Hannah's awesome travel blog, Paulette and Kristi's health issues, my weight gain, an onset of rare self-doubt...

I was going back through some of these blog postings this afternoon and thinking that we all accomplished quite a bit while we were blogging. Our motivation came in waves, and blogging wasn't always that easy or exciting. But I think we all did some positive things over the course of the year and a half that we kept this thing going.

Law school has been hard on my health. There are some great things about it, and I'm happy to be here in Berkeley surrounded by so many brilliant minds. But, the stresses and demands of law school have meant that my exercise routine and diet have suffered. I don't want to focus on pounds, but all the weight I had lost since we started at the end of 2007 the blog is back. Weight is only a very small part of health. But sometimes it can reflect the bigger picture, and I would say that is true right now.

What I've been trying to figure out, and need to keep working on, is how to become healthier, despite the stresses of school. Last time that I started blogging, I set goals for myself, some that I followed through on and others that I didn't. What I'm not sure about is whether those were good in the long run. I think I do better exercising or eating right when I give myself a goal, or some restriction. But I would really like to find the way to make positive choices in my health that are lifelong.

No answers yet, but I'm going to try to use this blog again as a tool to figuring out how to reclaim my health.

Family!
I cannot believe that Caleb and Jaime will be running a marathon in 5 days. That is nuts. Way to go guys! Also, I am wholly impressed by Heather and Ben and their dedication to this half marathon. I am lacking some of that dedication, but today I forced myself to run up Mount Sentinel and then run 3 miles, not quite the 8 or 10 that team Sather put in, but it was an attempt. A great thing happened on the run, I fell in love. Okay, that is a lie, but I did meet my friends mom on the top and we ran together and it was so fun to run into some random person, know them in a roundabout sort of way and then be able to run with them too. It was very fun.
I can't wait to see you guys this weekend. Love you all.

In Praise of Ben Sather

Ben, in sports terms, you have been an amazing mid-season pick-up of a brother. I thought a lot about family around the time that you and Heather got married. One of the things I thought about was how each person adds a unique piece to the functioning of a family. When a family is together but one person is missing, well the family functions differently. And when one gets added, who knows what is going to happen? Call it family chemistry.

Well, the point is, it has been amazing how much our family's chemistry has been changed, for the better, because of you. We were never a nickname family until you came along, but now we all have several (KWeb, Ciesel, Ozzman, Hannibal to name a few). We've all seen more concerts, and had much better seats at them than we would have otherwise. We've been introduced to great music.

But those are just a few of the things that are easy to name. There's also the ways that you add humor and friendship to our lives. The way you helped get us all through Dad's death, and preserved your new marriage to Heather through such a traumatic event. The way that Ben Webster found a best friend and a musical ally in you when he needed both. And, the fact that you have, along with Heather, introduced to the world one of the most precious people it has known.

Ben, you're a great brother and I'm glad to have you as one. I can tell you are a great husband and father too. Thank you for wearing all these hats so well. Thanks for adding so much to our family and making it what it is today.

Way to go on training through a bad knee, on committing to run the half marathon this June. I know you can and will do it!

Refocused

It's been a month and a half since my last post, so I have to apologize to everyone for not following through on the blogging efforts. In reality, though, I've found new focus in the last two and a half weeks. I am making my weekly runs, and have had a much better attitude toward the whole thing. The marathon is only 30 days away!!! And, even better, I am confident I can do it! And so can Jaime! Tomorrow is an 18 mile run, so we'll see if I'm feeling so super after that.

A couple of things I wanted to say to everyone. First, thanks! Thanks to Heather and Ben for doing great with their running, even going for a big run on vacation. That was very encouraging. Thanks to Mom and Hannah for coming down to San Diego to support us at the end of the month! Mom buying the tickets cemented in my mind that there was no backing out of this thing. Thanks to BenWeb for not only doing track & field, but for dominating at it (pre-injury).

And a confession to Dave: I've fallen off the workout routine. I think that I won't resume it until after the marathon - I think one major goal is enough for now.

And a word of encouragement to everyone: it is completely normal to fall off the training wagon. I totally did for about 2 months. But I'm not discouraged anymore. To quote Zoolander,
Maury: What do we do when we fall off the horse? [long pause and no reply] We get back on the horse.
Zoolander: Sorry, Maury, I'm not a gymnast.
So, here's to us all being gymnasts and getting back on the horse when we fall off. Don't worry about falling behind schedule. Don't stress about what you haven't done. Just think about what you're going to do and do it.

And a plan. I think we should put this blog to rest after the half-marathon weekend in Seattle. It's been great and a good way to keep in touch, but I think that it's losing its luster. Maybe we can start a new blog, or something else creative afterward. But, just like Lost having an end date for next season has made it a more efficient show, so too will an end date to this blog make it a more useful tool over the next two months (I think).

And an apology. Ben Sather, I totally didn't mean to slight you in the "In Praise of" series. It just happened that I got caught up in law school decision making stuff when it was your turn. I'm going to make up for that in a minute.

And that's all. Here's to a great 2 months of Webster health!

Another Sunday Run

So, I went for my Sunday run this afternoon.  It started out a little rough...as I shared in a previous blog, when I run, I tend to hit my right foot on my left ankle.  Today, I managed to draw blood within the first half a mile from the apartment.  I did a mid-length run today, about 9 miles. Hopefully something similar tomorrow.

But, what I wanted to share is about all the stuff I saw on my run.  So, before I had even left the campus, I saw a small baby squirrel run and try to jump under a parked car.  In the spring and summer, we have all these crazy little lizards that sunbathe in the sun.  Throughout the run I counted 18 small lizards that scamper off when I approach and 4 fat lizards too fat to run away.  I saw a lady bug and a red ant on the sidewalk.  I saw a little bird in a bush.  I also saw an orange t-shirt and a white sock.  Unfortunately, I saw too much trash.  I saw 2 more squirrels.  A women's soccer game.  I saw 4 people riding their bikes, about 10 students walking to and fro.  A couple walking their dogs.  And lots of pretty spring flowers.  I have to saw that the spring flowers really bring beauty to my runs these days.

Hope all is well with everyone else.     

I can't get no motivation

I am writing a new song similar to I can't get no satisfaction, however, it is only about motivation, I try and I try, but I can't get no motivation. Clearly I am in trouble I am using double negatives. Yikes! Does anyone have any tips to help me on my journey to half marathon stardom?

Made it through Lent

Well everyone, I made it 40 days without any fried chicken. I had my moments when I really wanted some because it was quick and easy and it smelled so good in the grocery store around 5:00. But I over-came my temptations! I am releived that it's over and am looking forward to tonight (Brynn is taking me to Double Front...best fried chicken in town!), but I'm going to cut way back on my fried chicken intake. All in all, I have to say, I enjoyed the challenge. 40 days is a lot longer then it sounds.

The saga continues...

So now that I have all this free time, I have decided to try to get long like the rest of the Webster clan, this consists of a lot of yoga. The yoga did not leave me in my zen however because I started to worry about all of our hip flexors and all of our muscles that we are using, are we also loving them and stretching them. I don't think that was the goal of the instructor, but it led me to worry and therefore ask, are you stretching adequately for this thing? Are you really holding the pose? I want to start holding stretches for a minute each, you guys should too (read in a singsong voice).
I love you guys, keep those muscles long and lean like the gap jean.

Me without facebook.

So I deleted my facebook account. I now have plenty of time for training for this half marathon, but I also feel a void. I'm not sure how to fill it. I have thought about filling it with drugs, sex, and booze, but I feel as though that is extremely counteractive with the training, so I am wondering if any of you have some good advice. Poetry? Equestrian training? French? Interpretive dance? Synchronized rapping (some refer to this as a duet, they are wrong)? Any ideas would be beneficial, however if you suggest studying I will curse your name when I read it.
Love you guys. Keep on the path to righteousness.
Oh, as for an inspirational story: Yesterday I went for a run that I thought would kill me and also caused me to curse all of your names and Kristin too, but today at work a cute guy told me that he saw me running and I looked totally awesome. He was very impressed, so basically I am using running for picking up guys, I have my nails done, my hair up and looking fly and my make up perfect whenever I run in my pink running outfit. Caleb, I suggest you do the same.

What Inspires You?

Caleb and I have really haven't been feeling very motived these last few weeks to get out and do our runs.  With a crazy work schedule I have struggled to find the time to squeeze in the runs before work or after a long day to be able to find the energy to get in a long run in the evening.  

What inspires you to stick to your workouts?  Maybe its knowing that you treat yourself to a yummy healthy dinner or a carb filled bowl of pasta...

PS. Heather and Ben congrats on running in the race this afternoon.  Caleb and I are so proud of you for this huge step in getting fit.  Maybe you treated yourself to a green beer at the end of the finish line ;)

In Praise of Kathy Webster James

Mom, thank you for teaching all of us the most important lessons we've learned in life: how to love your family, how to care for your friends and neighbors, how to take care of a headache or stomachache (or, in my case, an earache), how to be involved in your community, how to put things in perspective and not sweat the small stuff, how to be stick to your guns if need be, how to tell your children they are spoiled brats when they need to hear it, but also how to go on spoiling them anyway. :)

It's impossible to say how much it has meant to me to have you present in a positive, loving way all throughout my life. I know that these days that is becoming quite rare, but you always approached motherhood as a responsibility as well as a privilege. I know you learned that from Grandma, and I hope that we can learn it for our children too (Heather and Ben are off to a really good start).

You're great parenting has done a lot for our health. I was thinking the other day about how important having family meals were for all kinds of things: communication, relationship, building of self-esteem. So thank you for working hard to make our family dinners the norm, even when you were juggling work and other responsibilities at the same time. You and Dad also always showed us how much you cared by showing up to our sporting events, ballet performances, synchronized swimming meets, mathcounts competitions, etc. Again, I know you probably didn't think twice about doing that, and I know I always took it for granted, but it did and still does mean so much to me that you care about our lives so deeply and that you go above and beyond to show us that. And that's not to mention all the behind the scenes stuff you've done for us with Moms In Touch, prayer groups, etc. I think it's because of all that support that all of us now feel capable of running our races this summer.

You have been a source of strength and wisdom for me my whole life, but especially since Dad died. I've had to make several major life choices (going to graduate school, moving to California, getting married, leaving graduate school for another graduate school, leaving that graduate school for law school), and I wouldn't have been able to do any of them without knowing that you supported my choices. And now I know that you want me to come back to Montana for law school, but I am so grateful knowing that I have your support even if I do not. You have a very flexible love, one that can put up with children in all their forms: liberal and conservative, Catholic and confused, ballers and ballerinas, guitarists and drummers, tall children and a short one. Thank you for loving us through all our differences, through all of our changes, and through all these years.

I love you more than I can express. I am just one lucky guy to have such a great Mom. Thanks for promoting our health all throughout our lives, and for supporting us on all our new adventures. Stay around for a long, long time!

In Praise of Doug James

Doug, you have been a source of inspiration these past few months, having lost a noticeable amount of weight simply through improved diet and exercise. I was blown away at Thanksgiving by how great you looked, and then even more so a couple weeks ago at the Ronald Reagan library. So, way to go, keep it up.

The last five years have not always gone as smooth as we might have liked. You've had the enviable position of being married to our Mom but, with it, the unenviable position of being unfairly compared to our Dad. For all the times that us Webster children have not been welcoming of you to the family, I apologize. Still, it feels like things are getting better as we have grown to understand each other and get more comfortable around one another.

A few of the things I have appreciated about you:

1 - You are always very welcoming when I come home, and make sure I know that it is home even if it isn't 3222 Parkhill drive.

2 - You spoil our Mom like she deserves to be spoiled - Caribbean vacations, nice dinners, a nice house, etc.

3 - It makes me laugh that you can remember old legal cases, Montana history, and all kinds of random trivia but have difficulty remembering the plot of the book you just read, or the name of any actor or actress in the last movie you watched.

4 - I'm amazed by how quick and dedicated a reader you are. Every time I am home I want to take a dozen books off the shelves to read, though I would never be able to get through them quick enough to justify taking that many.

5 - You have been very generous sharing your expertise on the University of Montana, law school in general, and the practice of law for 3 of us now, and helped us figure out how to make it in and through law school.

6 - You have done your best to help Ben succeed junior high and high school. You have helped him become a better reader, and you have put up with his loud, rocking ways.

With that said, Doug, thanks for all that you have done for our Mom and for the rest of us. We love you, appreciate having you around, and are grateful you are taking better care of your health. It's an inspiration to us all.

In Praise of Jaime Kim

Jaime, you and I have had a tough time finding motivation for waking up early on Saturday mornings to make it for our group runs.  I think we are feeling the effects of this marathon being several months later than we originally intended, and we would like the damn thing to be here already.  I know the last few days I have felt especially lazy and in need of some down time.  The problem is that a day or two off can quickly turn into a week or two, or three or four.  I'm sure that it would have over the past few months if you hadn't been here encouraging me and working hard with me to get in better shape.  Even right now, as I type, you're out doing your long weekend run while I contemplate what I can use as motivation for mine.

As others have noted, it's hard to put in words how much you love someone, especially when that person is your spouse.  Luckily, when someone is your wife, they never leave (!!!, just kidding), meaning you get a lot of time to tell them how special they are.

When I first met you I quickly found a great friend, someone who was fun to study with, easy to talk to, who liked the same music, cooked great food.  I don't know why it took me four months to realize you were something special and that I should ask you out, but I'm glad I did.  The past 4+ years together have been amazing, and the last 2+ of being married have been the best by far.

Here are some of the things I've really enjoyed about you.  You are a great listener, and you have really worked to get to know what is important to me; you keep all my friends straight and remember most of the stories I tell you about them.  You have a great sense of humor; although I don't think some of your stunts are as funny as you do, I am happy that we can laugh together so much (part of staying healthy for sure).  You are a great aunt to Caleb, Dominic, & Evey; you make your own gifts for them, love playing with them, take pride in their accomplishments.  You're very talented professionally; you have worked in some very tough jobs, dealing with all kinds of frustrations, but have managed to keep a good perspective on it all (not to mention that you've brought home the bacon - or fakin' bacon as the case may be - for us the past 2 years.  I promise to contribute one of these days).

I love you tons, dude.  Thanks for being my motivation to always do well in life.  Thanks for getting the ball rolling on getting fit, for preparing good food, for keeping our lives healthy in so many ways.  There's plenty more I could say to tell you I love you, but I'll let some of the others have a turn.

In Praise of David Griffin

Well, I'm making my way through the hat o' names of people who deserve our praise (still quite a few to go), and yesterday I happened to pull out someone who is an honorary member of the Webster, etc. clan, who has helped me a lot with fitness the past few months, and who has actively taken to this blog.  I pulled his name out of the hat yesterday morning before my run and, when I got back later, Dave had posted about his new fried-chicken renunciation for lent.  Some coincidence!

Dave, you are my best friend (Jaime excluded, but you knew that).  And I still can't understand how that happened.  We have always been a little bit of polar opposites.  You're an athlete; I'm a nerd.  You're quiet; I like to have good conversations.  You're 'angry Dave;' I'm pretty much a push-over.  We came from such different families, had such different backgrounds, ran with different circles.  Luckily we shared basketball, and that somehow brought us together.  I have a hard time thinking what high school would have looked like for me if we had never become good friends - no naps in the basement of 3222 between summer basketball games, no ganging up on Tyson for being weird, maybe no football (so there would have been at least one good thing).

Honestly, my friendship with you defined high school.  And you became more than a friend.  You were a brother, basically adopted by the family.  You teased Hannah like a brother.  You ordered Ben to bring you food like a brother.  You borrowed the car like a son.  You went on family vacations.  I remember my Dad telling me why he liked you so much, because you reminded him of his best friend in high school.  So, I feel a connection with him by having you as a friend.  And I know you felt his loss so deep like the rest of us.  It helped me having a friend who could understand my pain by feeling it too.

Now we're old men and we haven't lived in the same city since 2000 (except a few months during the summers).  But I still feel just as connected.  We both have beautiful women in our lives, which is a miracle by itself.

Dave, you're in great physical condition.  You love an active, healthy lifestyle.  So, in a way, you are an expert advisor for this blog.  I'm so grateful for the hard work you've put in to get me in better shape.  I hate a lot of the exercises you have me doing, but I know they are making me a better, stronger athlete.  

And while I think you are doing great in terms of health and fitness, I hope you can continue to find ways to push yourself towards total health.  Giving up fried chicken is one possibility.  Maybe you can train for a long distance race to try that out as well.  But health is also reading or journaling.  It's doing something nice for Brynn, or working on the house.  So, keep at it.  You've got a disposition I envy, where you put your mind to something and make it happen.  I know that will continue to serve you well as you improve your all around health.

Observing Lent

Jaime, you beat me to it. I was going to ask almost the same thing. Is anyone doing anything for Lent related to their health?

Me personally-I have never observed Lent, and my reasoning is because I'm not Catholic. I know many people still give things up for Lent even though they're not Catholic, but I never did; probably out of stubbornness more than anything.

That said, I'm going to set my stubbornness aside for 40 days and this is why...
Yesterday I got done with an awesome 300 repetition workout over my lunch hour. I dominated it and felt good about it. I, then, went back to work and ate my lunch. While devouring my 4 pieces of fried chicken from Albertsons, I got to thinking...'Everything I just did in the gym has now just been erased because of my love for this greasy, fried goodness'. It hit me that I may have a problem: I love fried chicken, and it could be the death of me! This morning I heard, on the radio, that today is Ash Wednesday and it made me think of my addiction to fried chicken. Shortly there after I decided that I am giving up my weekly dose of fried chicken for 40 days.

I may not be observing Lent for all the right reasons, but here's to my health ;)
I would love to hear what others are doing or your input of mine.

LENT?!

Today is the first day of Lent?!  In some Christian communities, this is a 40-day period of fasting and prayer, leading up to the celebration of Easter.  

I was interested if people will be participating in giving up or adding something healthy activity during these 40 days.  I have already asked Caleb and he said no because he feels like he has enough stuff going on physically that he doesn't feel like he needs to add to the list.  Which is cool.  I understand, he does have a lot going on.

I am going to give up meat for Lent.  This is something that I go back and forth on as a lifestyle choice.  I have found myself saying that I am eating meat because I need the protein for training for the marathon, but I think that is a crutch.  So no meat for me for 40 days!  

I am just curious if others are incorporating healthy lifestyle practices into Lent.