Corey Stokes

30 days: day 13- Healthy Choices

What was the last book that you read that made you feel like you could change the world? That is the feeling I had when I finished Michele Obama’s book “American Grown.”

Since moving to Kansas 3 years ago, my wife and I have tried to replicate the garden that we had when we lived in Virginia. As luck would have it, our plans didn’t quite work out the way we wanted them to. That, however, didn’t stop us from eating as healthy as we could. With the exception of the occasional pizza, cookies, donuts and ice cream; my wife ensures our family eats mostly healthy meals. She has even help me find alternatives to satisfy my sweet tooth.

American Grown also talks about our culture’s lack of fitness and the need to be more fitness conscious. I remember playing outside every day as a kid. We had minimal access to television. Today’s children have on-demand access to content 24 hours a day. The majority of their time is now spent glued to a screen. The guys in my office get a chuckle at me because I’ll walk the majority of places that I go. “You run enough for everyone in this office, now you’re walking too!” They tell me with a laugh and hold their legs signaling the thought made their legs hurt.

One thing that I do know for sure is that our kids are watching our every move if they see us watching 23 hours of television, they want to be right there with us. When we make a decision to go run or play a sport, they want to make the same, or similar, choices.

While I may not be able to change the world, I can change my world! Maybe the next step for me will be to finally get my garden going. I know there is nothing like eating the fruits of your labor!

As for my fitness goals, here are 2 miles, in the books.

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30 days: Day 12- Running Tech

Oh No!!!! 😢! My TomTom watch died on me! No, not the battery, the actual watch! When I went to start my run this afternoon the button would not work. I could not actually start the run. Although It had a full battery, I couldn’t change it from the time screen. This was the most devastating thin that could have happened!

Luckily, however, it was not the end of the world. The Nike plus app was there to serve as my intermediary. Although I really love running with the TomTom multi-sport watch, I was glad to have a back-up ready to go. And because TomTom syncs seamlessly with the Nike App, I won’t loose any of my run data.

Its about the run, not the running technology!

My wife laughs at me whenever my technology fails, as it quite often does. If it is not my armband that is broken; my phone battery is not charged enough to get me through a run, or my Fitbit doesn’t work the way I think it should work, and don’t get me started on headphones! I’m just bought my 5th pair for the year! Hopefully, this one will last. I often have to remind myself, that the technology, although it is helpful, doesn’t really matter, what matters most is that I complete the run.

I’ve been through multiple apps and devices before I settled on the TomTom multi-sport watch. Which in my opinion is the best tool for running ever made, But as my first GPS watch, I’m a bit bias towards it! Although I do question the accuracy of the Nike app, I must admit having my run playlist already loaded and ready to go when I start running is amazing. The real-time cheers from social media as my friends “like” the posts about my run are great motivation to keep me moving. But still, there are times that I would prefer, to be disconnected when I run. Of course, there is only so much disconnecting you can do when you are running with a cellular phone. I have even considered trying to find an old iPod classic to use just for running. That along with a GPS watch is all you truly need to hit the road for a few miles.

So, without the aid of my preferred gear, I added a 3-miles run in the books.

Let me know in the comments area. What is your favorite fitness technology to use?
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30 days: day 11 – Remember when?

While reading First Lady Michele Obama’s book American Grown, I was reminded that there was once a time when after school children were outside playing until dinner. I remember my mom calling my brothers and I from an 11th story window to let us know it was time to eat.

When I got a little older, my outside activities changed from playing outside to organized sport, in my case karate. As an adult running and daily exercise has become an important part of my life, especially as I try to model the behaviors I’d want my children to emulate. I guess I can say that I live an active lifestyle.

I’ll admit, I sometimes do chastise my kids for the amount of television that they watch. But when you think about it, their typical week consists of soccer, track and field (during the school year), Tae Kwon do, Volley ball running with me, walking the dogs, and also scouting events with the Boy and Girl Scouts (to include hiking, camping, and other activities). My kids are pretty active. Not to mention our activity filled vacations during the summer, I guess their level of television is not too bad in comparison.

So, in an effort to keep myself moving today my TomTom and I logged another 4 miles.

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