Here are 2 new blog enteries from Jennifer’s SELF magazine traithlon blog

#5 Listen to your body (August 26)

At SELF, deprivation is a four-letter word. We believe that if you let yourself indulge occasionally in special foods or treats, it keeps you from overindulging later. Jennifer Lopez subscribes to that philosophy, too; she doesn’t deny or starve herself, and she doesn’t have to now that she’s torching tons of extra calories training for a triathlon. (She’s doing it for charity! If you want to help, click the “donate” button above.) But she has learned some lessons about her diet.

“The one thing I’m getting in order is my eating. I’ve been thinking about that a lot now that I’ve started going longer distances. I’m not eating terrible foods, but I need more energy. The other day I ate Chinese food, then did a mini, mock tri: a swim, then a bike and a run. I could feel the heavy, greasy food slooowwwing me down. By the end of the workout, I was thinking to myself, If I ate better, I’d feel better about now and I’d have more energy. So now I’m working on getting on a good, healthy diet. Today I had a banana before my workout.”

Just as she and her husband are raising their twins sans nanny, Jennifer doesn’t have a personal chef or nutritionist whipping up low-cal power meals for her. She’s learning on her own, just like the rest of us, that easily digestible proteins and carbs like chicken and pasta and fruit and veggies give the fuel you need to feel good throughout an entire workout.

She’s got another incentive to eat well, too. “I want to teach [twins Max and Emme] that there are healthy things that taste good. Growing up, I didn’t eat vegetables. I didn’t know there was brown bread. I’d eat a sugar doughnut, then go to school totally sugar-buzzed. We’d eat hamburgers for lunch, then rice and beans and meat for dinner. Rice and beans aren’t bad, but the meat was always fried. Culturally, that’s just what my mom was fed and so she fed it to us. I want to give my kids the healthy stuff early so they can build on it—then have little treats.”

 #6 Denves dispatch (August 27)

The entrance to the Frederic C. Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum, where Jennifer is hosting a reception today. Kevin Hester/Courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

There are a lot of reasons SELF named Jennifer Lopez 2008’s Most Inspiring Woman. She runs, bikes and swims! She’s raising money for charity! She’s a dedicated mom and career woman! And she’s shown us that no matter what your job, family and life commitments (of which she has plenty), fitness can help you feel even more like a superwoman and look your healthy best. And now she’s in Denver, giving us yet another reason to be inspired.

Today Jennifer is in the city of the Democratic National Convention to honor a woman who motivates her. She’s hosting a reception for the founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, the remarkable Marian Wright Edelman. The event will pay tribute to Ms. Edelman’s lifetime of achievement in ensuring a level playing field for all children and will spotlight the importance of policies and programs championed by the Children’s Defense Fund.

“Ms. Edelman is a pioneer in the fight for children’s rights. The more involved I become with philanthropic activities and wonderful individuals like Marian, the more inspired I become,” Jennifer said.

Check back tomorrow for details from the event, and later in the week for more insights from her training. There are only 18 days left until the race; show your support by clicking the Donate button above and give to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.