Mind | Body | Food
We all have reasons why we choose to carry out physical sports that challenge us; the operative word being ‘challenge’. I understand the benefits of movement but to challenge ourselves makes us step outside our comfort zone and this can be extremely uncomfortable.
I understand the opportunity I am given to move by choice and how I choose to execute it. I understand each day is a fight, a fight of determination, forgiveness, and acceptance.
We coach numerous individuals who wish to work towards goals that are driven by determination, accountability and the need to find their true athletic self. We train a unique driven mindset that owns their ability to grow and perform.
The odd thing about this virus is, you notice symptoms and when you go to describe them you are left a little perplexed. What you think it is, isn’t. This is what this virus has been all about, confusion.
As a running yogi I am finding myself lost in movement on both the trail and the mat and it’s this realisation that has me thinking more about what and how lead me to this enlightening state.
You can never underestimate the trails; sure, nature has your back, but she can also be unpredictable and when this happens, you need to be prepared.
Which shoe is the right shoe for you? Good question, as a shoe fitter they can help guide you to the right brand/shoe but ultimately, the decision lies with how they feel on your feet.
You want to run faster as an endurance athlete, right? So run faster. Each run session is fast, every workout is like a race and long slow runs and rest days, what’s the point?
I have honoured myself with the acceptance of now as well as recognising the path I have run to get me to where I am now. I cannot change the past, but I can certainly choose how I move into the future.
Adulting isn’t just about ticking boxes; finishing school, reaching a certain age, being able to vote, moving away from your parents, getting a job/career, getting married, having kids or even suddenly everything that confused you now making sense.
One of the most important questions that you should ask yourself, particularly at this time of year is ‘what is the meaning of life?’ According to ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ the answer to the meaning of life is 42.
The food shopping list is essential in order to not forget anything when you brave the supermarket or market for your final food shop before the BIG day.
This time of year is about gifting with thought and awareness, supporting local businesses who support small but thriving businesses and spending your money on sustainable and earth conscious products.
We encourage you to embrace the power of plants this 2021 festive year; to make vegetables the main star on your plate and to celebrate the diversity and taste of plant-based vegan foods.
Do you remember running as a child, the freedom felt by just running around the school yard, down the street and in nature? Then we started to grow up and become body aware, more self-conscious and it was this mindset that changed everything.
Meditation is a daily practice; a daily exercise to help find focus but not to stop the thinking mind, more to create space for your thoughts by just accepting them for what they are and then letting go of them; this is the practice.
Monkey mind. Have you experienced it during a race? Even in training? You’ve heard the saying ‘get your head in the game’ and at times this is easier said than done because you have a mind swirling with thoughts, inner conversations and doubt.
The Vegan Festival Adelaide was a weekend of strength, endurance and fuelling 100% powered by plants. The Veg Athleticism workshop was received with much interest from the audience as well as some serious muscle envy going on. Remind me again, where do you get your protein?
The fake meat industry is marketed at the one third of Australian’s who are actively limiting their meat consumption but still want the convenience and familiarity of meat on their plates.
Personally we are not overly enthusiastic or supportive about calling vegetables a ‘steak’, ‘beef burger’ or ‘chicken schnitzel’ because we think plant-based vegetable products should and need to own their own foodie category.
This festival brings together Adelaide’s local vegan and non-vegan community in an atmosphere of celebration and education. And Planted Life will be speaking on stage on Sunday 31st October.
When the balance of minerals and electrolytes (sodium, calcium, potassium, chloride, phosphate and magnesium) are a little off kilter this can make your muscles more susceptible to cramping along with fatigue, poor fitness level, tight and inflexible muscles.
Regardless of your diet choice; the main recommendation is to eat more plant-based foods; foods grown from a plant not from a plant. This is what we refer to as Plant Diversity. If you consume a diverse food palate during the course of a day; you should be ticking all the right nutritional boxes.
We nourish those around us and most importantly ourselves when we tap into the energy of nature. When we adapt to change we gain a better understanding of our life cycle which is entwined deeply with nature.
Imagine this, you are running on the trails when you come to a fork in the road; do you a) follow the trail you always take or b) take the trail less travelled? Training with Planted Life incorporates MIND | BODY | FOOD; we take a holistic approach to training.
We get it, you are feeling a little out of control at the moment so you need to control what you can control and not worry about what you can’t. Control your movements, your routine and most importantly your inner thoughts and conversations.
We all have our different coping mechanisms when life gives us lemons; some choose to suck up the sourness in life and others choose to make lemonade. I don’t know about you but I’m up for making lemonade.
Lockdown gives us time to revaluate, to find new paths from home not just a new series to watch on Netflix. It’s giving us the space to move our bodies, to find new energy and to draw on natures energy that seems to be the one flourishing the most during these turbulent times.
Mornings can be difficult so time to lace up after a hard day of work, run off that stress and turn that tiredness into a peaceful energy to help you run free into the night and sleep heavy until the morning.
I couldn’t help but continue to smile, this race overflowed my cup with happiness and appreciation, this sport is more than just running; it’s a community who build you up.
Plant-based foods are natures medicine and we encourage you to consume daily to help combat the winter colds & flus.
We often hear people say ‘run your own race’ and at times, this is easier said than done. When you are amongst other ‘racers’ in a competitive environment you can get caught up in the excitement of it all.
Each race offers me a new lesson about myself and my capabilities, each race I turn a corner of some sort which will assist me in training and future races. This race taught me how to push just that little bit harder, to find a new level of racer within myself.
You don’t need to be an elite runner to engage with a running coach. You just need the will to set goals that push you outside of your comfort zone and the desire to be accountable to training sessions that are scheduled to fit in with your life.
Be sure to have the right equipment to help light your way to more adventures; because the good times don’t stop once the sun goes down.
I may not have won the race but I didn’t lose it either, I just learnt. I may not be where I was in 2018, an ongoing Achilles injury has put a stop to that but I am not throwing in the towel just yet either. I have more in me to discover.
The enemy here is not fresh food; we cannot let this propel us towards pre package foods replacing some of our favourite fresh foods. Fresh is still best.
There is no such thing as balance and we don’t strive for it either. We strive for happiness. Peace. Contentment. But most of all we strive for adventure.
It not over until it’s over, you don’t know the outcome until you can no longer fight and if endurance sports has taught me anything, it’s too bloody keep fighting. I needed a half full cup not half empty.
We are about embracing all things green; eco-green living and eco-green eating. Now more than ever is your time to step up and change how you see a vegan plant-based diet; time to be part of the ever growing vegolution.
Sowing, growing and harvesting is like a form of magic. I promise you when you ‘grow your own’ you will understand why it’s so magical to eat your own produce.
The collaboration between the two businesses is connected not only through “twinning” but through our untapped passion for plants. We are about planting a seed and growing nature’s magic in order to live a more Planted Life .
We invest wisely in our food choices, we connect daily with our ingredients and mindfully consume foods that are energy giving not energy taking.
You need to forgive those who bastardised vegetables before you in order to live, learn and give more respect to the gifts of natures.
Food is the foundation to all things that make you function. Refining your athletic performance should be based around a sound eating plan which satisfies caloric needs based on performance goals, overall energy, immune functioning, and hormonal balance.
This challenge is only as hard as your starting point; the endurance side of this challenge was ‘manageable’ for me as at this stage of my journey; having trained and completed 14 x 100km endurance runs over the past 5 years I am more than comfortable with longer distances.
My physical fitness is paramount but equally so is my mental health. Where would I be without the openness and opportunity of running, who knows. What I do know is; running has made me a heathier person inside and out.
Stand firm on the ground in which you walk on, continue to be honest, authentic, mindful and most of all grateful. Appreciate the simplicity that life has to offer, not the glitz and glamour of shopping malls, fast cars, fast money and fast living.
Social distancing may mean we have to stay 1.5m apart physically but mentally we are now closer than ever; this is a new normal I’m happy to adopt.
This #isorunnigfest already had a different feel about it; it was so familiar yet being carried out with a completely different format. We were solo runners yet running with others.
Should we be worried about how our personal data is handled by the government? It’s definitely got Australia talking and like anything, theirs a debate brewing and we think, it’s a debate worth having.
There are some reads that sit with you long after you finish the final page. You feel a sense of loss when you put book on the bookshelf to longingly look at each time you walk past. These reads resonated with you at the time of reading; timing is everything right?
The requirement to self-isolate and social distance stepped up a notch during the month of March; when I think about January and February there was vague talk of the virus but the spread, devastation and true uncertainty wasn’t recognised until mad march.
Eat for energy, for nutrition and for wellness. Adopt plant-based habits because they are life giving not life taking.
‘To the left, to the left, every time you run, keep to the left’ hallelujah I am not the only one who thinks this.
Now more than ever, we need to invest in the things that we can control; our diet & food choice, our minds, our bodies, our emotional and physical state.
The human and economic toll of this GLOBAL pandemic is difficult for us as an individuals to comprehend and what we are seeing & hearing today is only the beginning; everyone is affected in some way or another.
Have you ever felt a sense of anxiety but calm that has you feeling somewhat uneasy but harmonious? This is how I have felt during the month of February. Maybe it had something to do with this month being a leap year with 29 days.
The relationships I have with my fellow female training partners and runners is one of support and admiration. We lift each other up not bring each other down for reasons such as jealously or sheer competitiveness.
We convince ourselves that the start of a new year means we are renewed, we have somehow set a reset button and come the 12:01 on the 1st January everything is somehow better, happier and easier.
I’m making progress within my household and I congratulate myself for that but I do recognise that I have a long way to go to being the poster girl for plastic free living.
In training and races the elements certainly challenge us both mentally and physically however we can always call upon the energy of the ground we walk on to give us strength and power to push on through. Now it’s our turn to hear the calls of nature; to help her ease the rathe she is bestowing on us at this time.
Turns out when you listen to the conversations of others, you realise you are not alone in you thinking or your doings.
The greatest attribute needed for the Alpine Challenge is adaptability and flexibility, without this you will start on the back foot before you have even begun.
The 3 Bays Portland Running Festival is in its 36th year and I did wonder post event, what the hell have I been doing for all those years, why was this the first time I had participated in this event?
The time came for the dance to begin, I had to suddenly show up and feel comfortable after all there were six other women doing the same. I threw caution to the wind and just moved.
Being the inaugural race, I had the numbers for elevation, a profile map and detailed description notes but what I didn’t have was first hand knowledge of just how undulating, brutal and relentless this course was.
Recovery takes times but it can take longer than you ideally like if you don’t follow the advice of those who are providing recommendations backed by years of research & experience.
Once you open your mind to acceptance you are able to listen and digest the information that is thoughtfully, mindfully and professionally being passed onto you, why? Because you have removed all the roadblocks in your mind and created an openness that only acceptance can offer.
I don’t want to be comfortable with pain, I don’t want to accept it – this is not my new normal. I want my old normal back.
You can’t rush recovery especially when it comes to an Achillies. Tendon issues are temperamental and frustrating but they also teach you a lot about your mental strength and determination.
The likes of the kangaroo and emu feature on the Australian coat of arms as well as appearing on our dinner plates by those embracing the so-called true Australian culture. But what happens if you choose not to eat our most recognisable assets?
What you notice about Adelaide and its producers is; its small, its boutique and true craftsmanship has gone into producing the best product for the consumer.
Having followed a plant-based vegan diet for over 25 years and with each new year, I am becoming stronger, healthier and what seems, younger. Want to feel the same way?
The year of the Pig: fortune, luck and personality. Pigs have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life. Isn’t it time to live a more Planted Life?
“Don’t forget to get enough food for 30-40 days over Christmas because the shops will be closed for 12 hours.”
Females these days are fiercely independent, confident and more than capable to survive (& thrive) in the wildness alone.
A course as brutal as it was beautiful this race still has me suffering a slight case of PTSD when exposed to the terrain which saw me scramble, hike, run, walk and hallucinate my way through for 47 hours.
When I travel locally, interstate or overseas I do my research when it comes to finding cafes and restaurants that are going to feed me well and most importantly feed me quality plant-based vegan fare.
Trust is your body armour, your new-found persona and something that sets you apart from those around you.
I definitely suffered in this race more than the heat and humid adapted locals but my mindset helped me overcome the difficulty of what I could not control.
“Anyone can train hard. Do you have the discipline to recover?” – Lauren Fleshman
I’m not unique or different to you. In fact, I am just like you. I just decided one day to make a change just like you are going to do one day.
I feel we tend to over complicate the foods we eat; think about your top 20 foods and then figure out ways to incorporate these into quick and easy meals.
I wasn’t sick. I didn’t have a cold nor did I have a hamstring issue that two days before the race made me book a last-minute appointment with a physio who I was hoping was going to tell me everything was OK.
During the course of the race be present in the activity; the more connected you are to your running, the longer you’ll be able to keep running.
My mantra for this race was ‘Run Mindful, Run Free’ I had this on repeat in my head from the start to finish. I wasn’t sure where I was going to place for this run but I had a goal and I was running towards that.
If your current diet is making your feel tired and unwell, then its time to make some changes for the better.
Runners see food a little different. Its not just something we eat to stop the stomach rumbling but something we eat for fuel, performance and most importantly to aid recovery.
When you look back on the foods you grew up with, which foods do you think about the most? And how vastly different are your food choices now to when you were growing up?
We all know that potatoes make you fat, right? Potatoes are just empty carbs, no different to eating pure table sugar, right? Wrong!
Most folk might think we crazy but despite 10 days of non-stop swim, bike and run which included the hinterland and coastal trails and waters; we feel fitter at the end of the break than we did at the start.
I once heard a saying that if you can’t drink tea, life is not worth living. So how do I feel about this 2 weeks on from giving up my daily cup of Earl Grey tea?
The meter matter campaign is simple: when a vehicle is overtaking a cyclist, the driver needs to allow a minimum passing distance of one metre.
Find the power of now and trust. Monitor your progress and believe the sky is not the limit, your mindset and outlook have no boundaries.
Not everyone likes tofu, in fact speak out loud that you are having tofu for dinner and all that is within earshot will shudder with fear.
Belief: an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof | Trust, faith or confidence in (someone or something)
This is not a race for the faint hearted; you need to befriend hurt. The rules of this race are; “don’t worry about the things you can’t control, focus on the things you can.”
“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Say you’re running and you think, ‘Man, this hurts, I can’t take it anymore. The ‘hurt’ part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself.”
Can you run an endurance trail run in the mountains with over 5500m+ of ascent, be a female athlete and be low in iron? This plant-based female athlete was just about to find out.
In the spirit of reconciliation Planted Life acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay respect to the Peramangk people of the Adelaide Hills, the traditional custodians of the land where we live, work and tread lightly. We continue to pay our respects to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander people today.
PLANTED LIFE
Adelaide SA
