Ranny Kang: Only 1200 Calories, 6 Hours of Excercise and Deliv...

Ranny Kang: Only 1200 Calories, 6 Hours of Excercise and Deliv...: "Good news, ladies. 1200 calories, 2 hours of exercise 3 times a day and delivered meals was what it took for Jessica Alba to get back into s..."

Time For A Change

"It's because you're not having sex," said my Sister as I was venting to her about how I'm in the worst shape of my life. "You don't have to worry about what you look like when you're not having sex." I guess she has a point. Whereas most people get comfortable and let themselves go, I've been in the best shape of my life when I'm in a relationship. Maybe it is the sex thing. Maybe, I feel like I have to compete with other women. Maybe being in a relationship gives me a structure and a routine that allows me to workout and eat right regularly. And now that I'm single than I had ever been (in my case, this means there isn't even a prospect or desire to be in a relationship), I've let myself get comfortable. I've let myself go.



My Mom saw this picture and said, "Who's that?" Ouch.

 Don't get me wrong. I'm not in horrible shape. If you look at me, you wouldn't think that I was 10 lbs heavier than I was a year ago. My hips are a little curvier but my legs and calves are still tight. My stomach is flat...when I wake up in the morning. And my arms are quite lean. You're probably wondering, "Then what's the problem." Well, I haven't ran my regular three miles since June. I haven't been to the yoga studio in awhile. There's a rock at my gym that I haven't even touched. I'd rather go on the elliptical to watch TV than to take a cardio class or circuit train. And I just don't feel strong and active as I usually do.

Not only do I feel blah physically but my entire body (organs included) is in need of some major TLC. I've picked up some bad habits this year (like drinking beer) and my body isn't liking it. You can see it on my face. I feel like an adolescent teenager going through puberty. I shouldn't have to wear more make-up to cover up breakouts. As a woman, I want to feel confident on the outside as I do on the inside. And more make-up does not make me feel confident.

I've tried creams, cleansers and whatever else to conclude that I must change from the inside out. And I'm beginning with undergoing a full body cleanse and detox (starting Sunday, after my older Sister's birthday). The goal is to reset my entire body. Then to create a health and fitness structure that works for the older me (mayeb I'll try that 17 weeks things). And what is my motivation? Well, that's a secret.

A Party Waiting to Happen

Salads are interesting. You can do so much to a salad. Just by adding something or taking something away, you can transform it to something completely different. There's a particular type of salad that makes my mouth water. It's what I know as a "Spring Salad" but everyone gives it their own name. You can call it whateva you wanna call it. I call it a party waiting to happen. It's a salad of mixed green leaves, blue cheese, fruits, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. With all of the different colors, flavors and textures, it's truly a party in your mouth. You know me, I don't like to party alone so here is my recipe for fun:

Organic Baby Spring Mix (Private Selection or what ever is on sale)
Blue Cheese (Private Selection or whatever is on sale)
Organic Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette Dressing (I've tried a few and my favorite so far is by Litehouse.)
Fruits (Depends on the season. I usually use whatever I have around the Tai-Li Market. You really can use whatever you want. I've tried apples, blueberries, strawberries, kiwi and tangerines in different variations but it all worked.)
Avocado Optional (My Mom wants to throw up when she sees avocado, but I put avocado in everything. It's up to you.)
Walnuts Optional (Preferably candied walnuts. I don't really use this because nuts can get pricey, but it gives your salad a different texture and it's really good.)
Salt and Pepper Optional (Usually, I put salt in everything but I don't use it in my salads.)
Chicken Optional (Some people like chicken in their salads. I don't. But if you do, you can get those precooked sliced chicken strips in the sandwich section at the grocery store. Perfect for salads.)
or Salmon Optional (But I do like salmon in my salads. However, I'll only have salmon when I want to make a special salad dinner for myself. Season it with olive oil, lemon and some Johnny's and bake it.)

Now that you've got everything diced, sliced and peeled (except the salmon) put it all into a bowl and toss. After you toss it put the salad into a big bowl or plate. Put your baked salmon somewhere on top. Remember: if it doesn't taste good but looks good it'll taste better. There you have it... a party waiting to happen. Enjoy!!

Dear Yoga, Running & Ranny Blog, I suck.

Dear Yoga, Running & Ranny blog--Oh, how I've missed thee. It seems as though I've neglected you once I completed my last half-marathon in June. To be honest, I haven't ran regularly since. I've probably ran a total of 10 miles since. And since I'm being honest, I haven't been as active and working out as hard as I've always been. My first excuse is to blame it on the weather and then on my demanding work schedule, but the reality is...is that I've been sluffin'!

Most people get comfortable when they're in a relationship but for me it appears to be the opposite. I've let myself go more than I ever have. And yes, my eating habits could be better... but as a singleite what am I to at dinner with friends and on dates? You don't want me to eat alone at home, do you? Currently, my motivation for going to the gym has been to watch CNN and Dancing with the Stars. I'm back on the elliptical after four years. I know I know, it's not the best workout, but it makes me sweat?

My ass is no longer a Forever 21 small. It's beginning to have a life of its own. Blog, I'm scared! My friends try to convince me that it's a good thing, but Blog, I don't want junk in my trunk. And when they told me that my metabolism slows down at 25, they weren't kidding. I find myself complaining about the size of my ass. I don't want to be that girl. Please, don't let me be that girl. I understand that I will never be a size 3 again, but I don't want to let myself go any further. I want to be obsessed with working out and being active again. Maybe, you can send a cute guy to the gym? Maybe, that'll motivate me? Okay fine, I'll do it your way... I'll quit complaining, stop making excuses and just do it.

Ugggghhhhhhh,
Ranny

P.S. I have a confession to make. I drink beer now. :(  I actually like it. BUUUUUT, I'm cutting down. If not, cutting it out.

Running for My Mom

Tomorrow, I will be running my second half-marathon, the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle. I will be running 13.1 miles. Intersections, roads and highways and will close down so that over 15,000 people can run - run for fun... freely.

This morning I asked my Mom, "Did you ever have to run during the Khmer Rouge?" You know what she said to me, "How?" When my Mom was in Cambodia during the Khmer Rough - the genocide that wiped out millions of civilians, professionals and intellectuals - she couldn't run. If she ran and got caught, it would be the end of her life. If she didn't, it would be the end of her family's life. Running was never an option for her.

Tomorrow, I am going to run - not just for Humanity for Children, a time or for myself - I am going to run for my Mom.

Doing THE Most after the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle

On June 26th, I'll be running 13.1 miles in Seattle. Over in Africa a family is walking over 26.2 miles (the length of a full marathon) to take their sick child to the nearest medical clinic. At the end of my race, I'll be celebrating with family and friends, while the same family in Africa is either relieved that their child made it in time or mourning the loss of a limb - or the death of their child. For me, 13.1 miles is a sport whereas for a kid in Africa, 13.1 miles is a matter of life and death. This year I will be running the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon for the kids who didn't have a say in their circumstances and the families who will walk for days and miles for their child.

Join us as we celebrate and raise money for kids. We will be Doing THE Most!

Inspired

It's so inspiring to see people living, especially friends that you've known for a long time. This Satuday a dear friend of mine will be running his first half-marathon at the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle. I got reconnected with him and his girlfriend (whom I adore) at the beginning of the year. Since then, they both have been running. He said to me with a light glowing around him, "This is the most I have ever done in my life." THIS is why I love sharing my stories with people. They get inspired and then comes back to inspire me! Everything really does come full circle. I'm so happy!

Good luck to all running the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle this weekend!

"I workout to eat whatever I want." Are you kidding me?

I must say the most annoying thing that anyone can say to me is, "I work out so I can eat whatever I want." My sister has started working out. She says to me, "I use to work out." Well, sista..."use to" don't matta! If you use to work out three years ago and just started working out again, it's like starting aaaaaaaaaalll over. This is why it's sooooo annoying to me when people say that they work out in order to eat whatever they want. I use to think that it didn't matter what your motivation was to work out but I must say that THAT is the wrong mentality to have.

When someone says that to me, I can predict how they're fitness experience will be and how long it will last. You got'ta shift your mentality and work out for a greater purpose...like maybe - just maybe - your health? or your vitality? or maybe your well-being? Your fitness is a lifetime commitment. When you say, "I work out so I can eat whatever I want," you're really trying to avoid lifetime commitment to fitness. Cause the moment you eat whatever you want, you'll wonder "Why am I not losing any weight?" Then you'll resent working out and go back to where you started...which was NOWHERE!

When you commit your life to fitness and you make working out a practice, you will want to be careful and conscious about what you put into your body. Those endorphins you release will allow you to like yourself more and you wouldn't want to do anything to harm your body. When it comes down to it, it's just you and your body.

LOVE YOUR BODY!

Gym Rat

Last week, I got a new gym membership at AllStar Fitness in Tacoma. It's been a year since I've had an actual gym membership. (I had to cancel my membership at LA Fitness because I didn't have regular income coming in to pay for it.) Within the past year, I had to learn how to improvise; I picked up hot yoga and found trails to run at. Before this, I was at the gym practically everyday. The gym became a daily routine. I was comfortable and was familiar.

Now, I'm back at the gym and I have no idea where to start but I remember why I enjoyed going to the gym - people at the gym has the same intention surrounding fitness. It's just not the same working to my old Winsor Pilates DVDs as actually being in the classroom with a teacher in the front of the room. I'm really excited to get back into the routine of working out regularly.

Back to my days as a gym rat...

A Quick How to on Running a Half-Marathon

This is a quick how to on running a half-marathon (or possibly a full one):

First of all, you must set your intention. Be clear with your intention and what you're committed to. If you are doing a half-marathon because your girlfriends are doing it and you don't want to feel left out... say it. If you're doing a half-marathon because you want to look good in a bikini... own it! Ultimately, it's not going to matter why you did it once you cross that finish line.

Once you've made your commitment by setting an intention and making your declaration, you MUST register. There are people who register but don't end up racing but you're more likely to do it if you've already paid. Plus, it will put you into the mentality of running a half-marathon or full-marathon - it's the future that you are living into... which is 13.1 or 26.2 miles.

Now, you must create a training structure. Most people (like me) follow an existing training schedule. Google training schedules that will fit best with you and your lifestyle (I use Hal Higdon's). You're probably going to have to make some life adjustments yourself. Print out the schedule and post it in a place that you go to everyday. This is your structure for success.

Along with a training schedule, you need to speak to someone about nutrition and injury prevention. You can try doing it yourself, but it makes a bigger difference actually speaking to someone. They can answer any questions that you have. Your body is one-of-a-kind... let me repeat that... YOUR body is ONE-OF-A-KIND. Take care of it by doing what works for YOUR body.

By race-time, you should be ready and hydrated. At the end of the race, don't be attached to the outcome. If your toe nails fall off, it's probably because your nail was too long or you didn't train well enough. Learn from the last and kick ass in the next.

Happy running! :)

10 Reasons Why I love Hot Yoga

1. I love getting hot and sweaty.

2. I feel sexy.

3. It's yoga practice not yoga perfect.

4. There is always room to grow.

5. There is no where else I need to be.

6. All I need is my body.

7. My body loves it.

8. I'm stronger and more flexible.

9. My spirit is enlivened.

10. I get to breathe.

Jogging back to the past

I woke up this morning knowing that I had to get my 3 miles in. I started making up reasons why I don't need to run. "It's cold. You can do it tomorrow. You should just go to work early..." The conversation lasted about 15 minutes until I finally said to myself, "Ranny, just do it."

Instead of driving myself to Chambers Bay or the Tacoma water front, I decided that I would jog in my neighborhood - this is the same neighborhood I grew up in. The rain started coming down harder but I sucked it up and just started jogging. I wasn't sure how I was going to run without an ipod and no specific path. So, I created my own path. I headed towards Dominic's house and passed by Chaurita's. I went down the street towards Jennifer and Trung's house. I ran to Alaska Street and passed the house Vany grew up in. I headed north on Alaska and ended up on 84th Street. There was one more stop before I headed home, Kim's house - this was the house that we would all go to after school and on half days - so many memories.

As I jogged through my hood, I became present to all of the memories that were created in my adolescence. I grew up in the same neighborhood since I was six years old. I went to the same middle and high school with the same kids that I went to elementary school with. It's amazes me how far we've all come. Everyone has their own thing and has gone their own way to live their own lives - but no matter where we are, we are all still connected because of a moment in space and time.

Thank you, Facebook.

Week 1 Training Starts

It's official - the booty is back. My sister pointed out that I was getting bottom heavy again. Well... the booty will be here for awhile. The 12-week training schedule officially starts this week. I'm using the Hal Higdon's Intermediate Training Schedule. Somehow, I have to fit 14 miles of running into my existing commitments - not sure how it's going to happen but I got'ta get it in. Let do this!

The Runners' Booty

This morning I put on a pair of trousers that I've had for several years - these trousers has felt the size of my booty fluctuate. I slipped them on and realized that my runners' booty is back.

I had a hard time dealing with this last year as I was training for my first half-marathon. I was drinking gallons of water, eating well and I even gave up alcohol yet I was still gaining weight - especially in a particular area. My booty was abnormal - it was HUGE! My friends noticed my butt get bigger. They liked it while I became self-conscious. I didn't know what was going on. I started asking questions. I even Googled it and came across this blog post "Running into a great butt" by a runner named Lance - it made me re-think my insecurity.

I've always had a butt even at my smallest size but I had never thought about it beings an asset - I was too worried about doing chest presses for them to look bigger. While I was too busy focused on my upper body, my lower body was doing its own thing - my butt was building muscle, my thighs were getting strong and my calves were more beautiful than they'd ever been. I wondered why those petite Asian girls didn't have my problem. I would fish for compliments by making negative comments about my butt. I kept telling myself that guys liked it to make myself feel better - it would work for a minute but didn't make a difference.

Finally, I decided to end the suffering and learned to love it. I loved how running made me feel - I might as well love the strong, beautiful and sexy body it gave me. I learned to love my entire body from the top of my head to the tip of my toes. One night, I put on a dress that nicely hugged my body. I stood in front of a full length mirror, turned around and said to myself, "Heeaaay booo..." ;)

St. Patty's Day 5K Run Result

"Ranny, no sleeping at 3AM," Jennifer says to me for the millionth time before our race. "Okay, honey," I say to her as I'm sitting in the car on my way out to go dancing.

The next morning is race day. We barely left the starting line and I see Jennifer start to get smaller as she smashes up the hill leaving me behind. I think to myself, "Crap, I'm on my own now." Jenn, Joe and John are ahead of me while Tam, Tiff, Nicole and Thea are behind me. I have no idea what my pace is and what time I will chip in but I don't care - I keep running. As I turn the corner, I hear Jenn shout, "Go Ranny!" Then I see Tam and Tiff followed by Thea and Nicole. I sprint towards the finish line trying to beat the clock before it hits 29 minutes. I was happy I finally finished but I was more excited about seeing Thea and Nicole finish their first race.

I didn't beat my personal record but I didn't do bad considering that I partied the night before and raced with a recovering ankle. 27:14 at a 8:47 pace. I'll take it. :)

RICE? I love RICE!

Sunday night, I visited my parents' grocery store. It was the second time visiting my parents since the breakdown I had between my Mom in the beginning of the year. I guess it's been so long that I wasn't use to walking down the same dark lit stairwell that I've been walking down for the past seven years. As I reached the bottom, I missed a step and heard my ankle pop. I was screaming in pain but I was more worried about injuring myself. "I have race in two weeks," I thought to myself as I was crying out, "Please, let it be okay!"

When I got home, I did three of the four things you're supposed to do with an injury - Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate... RICE. I did everything except Compress. My ankle was a little sore but it didn't look that bad but the next morning - I woke up with a sore and sprained ankle.

Because I was sitting all day at work, I didn't think I needed to RICE. When I got home that night, my sore and sprained ankle turned into a kankle, a swollen ankle. Apparently, I had 72 hours of RICE-time left. The next morning I went to the grocery store and bought a bag of frozen mixed organic vegetables and a bag of frozen organic blueberries (for my yogurt). For the whole day, my left leg was elevated on a chair with a bag of frozen goods resting on my ankle as I was speaking to customers on the phone.

Today, my ankle feels 85% healed. It's still a little swollen, which I could have prevented through Compression - this is a lesson learned. I have two days left before my next training day. I expect it to be 100% healed by then. I have a nine days until my next race... eek!

What I've learned is that RICE isn't effective unless you do all four - REST, ICE, Compress and Elevate. Learn from my experience... and don't walk down a dark stairwell.

12 days til the next race

I trained with Tamara, Nicole, Tiffany and Emily today. It was probably one of the most effortless running experiences I've had so far this season. Surprisingly, my feet didn't cramp up and my ankles didn't act up. What made the difference was 1. the dynamic warm-up 2. being conscious of my form and stride and 3. hot yoga (and possibly the cup of green tea).

As I was walking down the stairs at the Tai-Li Market, I missed a step and my left ankle popped. It hurt so badly but it seems to be fine. I think the Universe heard me as I was screaming in pain and begging for my ankle to be okay. I have only 12 days before my next 5K race and I cannot get injured.

I will be registering for this race tomorrow or Tuesday, St. Patty's Day Run in Tacoma, March 13th.

Me, an athlete?

Today, I went to a nutrition and injury prevention workshop put together specifically for the H4C team. The two professionals were Isiah Coles, trainer to professional runners and athletes, and Julie Starkel, nutritionist and a clean eating guru. As I listened to the two of them, I had a profound respect for professional athletes and the amount of practice, discipline and commitment they have. In two hours, Isiah and Julie overwhelmed me with a lot of important information but barely scratched the surface of what it would require for me to perform and achieve the goal I set for myself. (I'm getting a little dizzy just thinking about.)

Here are some takeaways that I'd like to share for those of you who are beginners or re-beginners, like me:

Nutrition:
1. Stay hydrated, (2.5-3.5 liters of water for women my size)
2. Eat 5-6 small snack daily containing both carbs and protein. (ALWAYS eat breakfast with an hour of waking up.)
3. Plan & Prepare: take the time to shop, plan and prepare your meals.
3. Take multi-vitamins (Especially B Vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc)
4. Caffeine can increase performance (No coffee though)

Injury Prevention:
1. Do a dynamic warm-up and active stretches before training and 30 second static stretches after the race
2. Do NOT put heat on swelling, always ice inflammation within the first 72 hours (ice massage: freeze water into a paper cup, tear the cup an inch or two below the ice and use it to massage injuries)
3. Incorporate weight training (strengthen muscles), circuit training (2-3 set and only 5 moves) and cross-training (swim, bike, cardio-machines)
4. Injuries are an athletes worse nightmare! (But it can be prevented.)

I'm really excited about implementing all this into my training and into my life. I should just register myself for a full-marathon in December so that I can take care of myself like this all year round. This is why I love training season!

First H4C Team Training

This Saturday, Team Humanity for Children (H4C) had our first team training at Marymoor Park in Redmond. We started with a 15-minute warm up led by our team leader, Emily Jennings (which made a big difference). Some ran 3 miles and the rest of us did 4 miles.

The last time we trained as a team was last year when we trained for the Inaugural Seattle Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. After running with Tamara, I forgot how much I enjoyed waking up early on a Saturday morning where I am able to spend at least an hour with good friends. Tamara and I ran four miles and during those four miles we were able to catch up on Life. These are the moments that matter. The moments when you learn something about a friend that you thought you knew everything about, including those conversations that change your life. This is one of the reasons why I love running.

This year, I will be training with different groups while scheduling running dates with individuals, however I am really excited about running by myself. I love the cherry blossom trees because they tell me that Spring is on its way, which means it'll be light out longer. YAY!

Don't forget to donate! Thanks!

Yoga on the Mountain

For my birthday, I decided that I wanted to go snowboarding. Yesterday, my friends and I went to Stevens Pass. The last time I went snowboarding was last month at Whistler when I was hugging the mountain the entire way down. So, I thought I would be kissing the snow this time. Instead, I learned how to dance with Steven.

I think my new experience with snowboarding was a result of yoga. Not only does the Chaturanga (also known as the "upward/downward-facing dog" flow) strengthen my core but it's a lot easier to get back up after a wipe-out. Poses in hatha classes helped me a lot - Balance is a critical element in both yoga and snowboarding. Also, the mental practices of yoga, like giving up doing it right and being "perfect" inside the studio allowed me to get out my head and be with the mountain. In yoga, we learn how to trust our body and its potential. After I got over the fear of falling and breaking a bone or dying, I allowed my body to do what it wanted to do, like turning and going on my front edge. I was literally dancing in circles with the mountain as I was humming to myself.

Now, I can truly say that I enjoy snowboarding. Thank you, Yoga.

My First 5K: The Road to Nowhere

"It's all about love" was written on our shirts as Jenn and I (with Emily) ran in the "Love 'em or Leave 'em" Valentine's Day 5K Dash. Did I mention in my last post that Jennifer is the friend who convinced me to join the swim team?

It's funny how things come full circle. Here I am at the last mile - in my mind, I've reached my max, my breathes were getting heavy and I was close to passing out. There Jennifer is in front of me running backwards - encouraging me to give it my all as she whispers, "Ranny, do you see that girl in purple shirt. You don't want her to beat you, do you?" (Typical, Jennifer.) Then, this girl has the nerve to ask me if I were going to wear my booties at my birthday party tomorrow - as if I could have a casual conversation. "I know you're mad at me right now, but I'm only pushing you because I know you can do it," she says. A little irked, I push harder anyway. At the end, she grabs my hands and we cross the finish line together.

Even though I almost passed out at the end, there were no failed flip turns. I raced in my first 5K. Jennifer registered us for the race as a birthday gift and told me that this race was about me. She stuck with me the entire way through even though she could have gotten a faster time than what we got together (which was a little over 26 min). Now that I think about it, she was there cheering me on seven years ago as I was struggling in the water at my first (and only) swim meet but this time I could actually hear her.

My ears may not have been submerged in water but throughout my life I have lived as if they were. It may not have been water that obstructed my hearing - instead, there were doubts and insecurities that didn't allow me to hear the people around me encouraging me and rooting for me. On our ride back down, Jenn said to me after learning that this was my first 5K race, "Ranny, you did really well - not a lot of people can run a 8.22 pace in their first 5K." My natural response would be, "Well, I've ran a half-marathon. I could've done better" - instead, I didn't respond. I took it in and accepted the acknowledgment.

In the yoga studio, I find myself always trying to push myself even further before I perfect my form and be with the pose for a moment. When I do this, I end up with a wobbly foundation, losing my balance or out of focus. Yesterday, this thought came into my head, "It's when I'm trying to get somewhere that I get nowhere." What I've gotten out of today is that that "somewhere" is here and that "someday" is now. I will always meet new people along my journey through life - some will stay longer than others - but there are those who are in my life now - some that has been apart of my life for over 15 years through rolling hills and rocky pavement.

This is what I call Love.

A Failed Flip Turn

This Saturday, I will be running in my first 5K race. I've ran many 5Ks during my half-marathon training but I have never raced in one. This is going to be interesting considering that I have never competed with an intention of winning - I've always played games for the sake of playing a game and I think I know where it started.

Growing up, my sisters and I were in ASB and all of the after school clubs. Because we didn't have insurance, we didn't play sports. The one year that I had insurance, I decided that I would play a sport. It was my senior year of high school and one of my best friends begged me to join the swim team with her. I took lessons as a little girl but was never a strong swimmer but somehow, she was able to convince me to jump into a tight green and yellow swimsuit that cut of my circulation. I was on the Henry Foss Swim Team. (Please note that I almost died drowning as a little girl.)

It was our first meet. I'm freaking out because I'm still not sure if I'm swimming right. I still can't swim straight and I'm still afraid of deep water. But like always, I do it anyway. The gun goes off and I jump in head first. As I'm struggling to stay within the lines, I finally reach the other side. Instead of turning around, I attempt to do a flip turn. I failed, horribly. That was my first and last swim meet.

Since then, I've never played to win. I've always been active and athletic yet I've tried to stayed away from competition. When I did compete, it was always a joke or for fun. This is interesting because innately, I am very competitive - sometimes more competitive than most people think. I'm so competitive that I'd rather not play if I know it's a game that I can't win. This is true in other areas of my life.

A friend of mine said to me in a long conversation that competition can be good. I'd agree - I've gotten to where I am today mostly as a result of my competitive nature. As I got older, I tried to suppress my competitive energy. Now that I coming into my own, I'm ready to bring it.

Wish me luck!