Week XI: Holiday Cravings

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and treated themselves to the only "fruits" allowed on Turkey Day: Pumpkin and Apple PIE!! ;)

Okay, so we're allowed one day a year to really 'pig out'. But, even though we all have that left over turkey starring us down in the refrigerator, it doesn't mean we can let that ONE day bleed into the whole next week. Honestly, we really shouldn't be unbuttoning our pants at every meal. So, pace yourself. After eating a lot of junk during the holidays, we start to crave all the wrong things. It's okay to treat yourself but you must get back on the bandwagon immediately after in order to keep your weight in check.

The day after Thanksgiving this year I went to my trainers house early in the morning and we went over what I should expect from my body over the next few days. I've been following a very healthy food plan and workout routine for months and months now so I'm well adjusted to this new lifestyle. However, the minute that my body detected all this new food in my system, it went haywire. Sugar creates cravings for more sugar. So, my trainer prepared me to be craving those types of things. But, I had to remember that it's only in my head. So, anytime I felt a craving during the day, I would go grab a bottle of water and fill it with all-natural sugar-free flavored powders (lemon or raspberry are my personal favorites), and the cravings would subside. Honestly, I didn't even notice the cravings by the middle of the day and I was already back into my healthy routine.

Here are a few things I do when I have cravings that you might find helpful over the holidays:

• drink a full glass of water
• wait 15 minutes to make sure I'm actually hungry
• chew on sugar-free gum
• eat a cup of berries (berries are one of the best fruits for us)
• turn on the Christmas tunes and put up more decorations to keep busy

I know it's really hard to avoid all the treats that pop up during this time of the year, but it'll make those "special" days even better if they remain just that.. special - and not ordinary. Keep Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve/Day as your "off" days and plan around them. This way we can still enjoy the holidays and come out looking fit!

Quote of the Week:
"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup." - Buddy, "Elf"

Also, some of you have had problems commenting on the posts so please see the "guestbook" at the very bottom of the page. Would love to hear your personal health stories/comments!! :)
xx
-Kate

Week IX: Progress

Hi Readers!

Sorry this week's post is relatively short, but I started a new part-time job in retail and well..  retail+holidays=madness. So, I haven't had too much time to devote to my blog *tear*.  However, I didn't want to leave ya'll hanging this week without hearing me ramble on for at least 30 seconds about my SUPER-awesome-healthy lifestyle (please note my sarcasm).

So, now that you're about 8.5 seconds into reading this, I better get to my point a little faster..

You don't have to read much into this weeks title to figure out what I'm going to touch upon. So, yes, I have made some greaaaat long awaited progress. *cue the fireworks*

Last week, my trainer mentioned that I am looking much thinner (not to be confused with "thin"). But, despite my changing appearance, I told her how frustrated I am with the scale. I explained my vow to stay away from it for a little while until I felt confident that I could handle the numbers that would appear between my anxious feet. She completely agreed with my decision to stay away from the scale, but thought I could find motivation from another reading: body fat!

Well, there's only one thing worse than getting on a scale to read your weight, and that is what percentage of that weight is made up of f-a-t. However, losing body fat is not only harder to lose and a bigger accomplishment, but a healthier thing to focus on than just weight. Soooo we measured my body fat and it was... wait for iittt... down down down :) Words cannot describe how that felt. After weeks of being frustrated with my stupid scale I wanted to dance on top of it. So, after I got some motivation from that reading, I weighed myself juuuust to see if things might have changed. And wouldn't you believe in a week I've lost anOTHER 5lbs.!!!! out of control. So, that brings my weight-loss total to about 20lbs. at this point!

I must remember that although I'm down, my scale body looooves to play tricks on me and go up and down with the "el bees". So, I will stick to my vow and not weigh myself for at least another 2-3 weeks in order to have an accurate measure. But, in the meantime, it's back to working hard and staying positive (oh, and my trainer kickin' my tush!)

Quote of the Week:
"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving" - Oliver Wendell Holmes

xx,
-Kate

Week VIII: Dear Diary -I mean- Readers!

Hello My Little Fit-sters,

Well, it appears that everyone is really enjoying the blog so far. My viewership was almost 3x the norm this past week!! So, thanks for tuning in, and I hope to see those numbers go up and up as people strive for a healthier life :)

Alright, let's get down to it!

So, I'm human.. as far as I know.. and I like to think of this blog as something like a journal, for not only the public to read, but for myself to take in as well- Although, sometimes I really think I AM crazy for putting this all out there! But it's done, so alas I go.. Lately, I know I've been talking more about general health topics, so I wanted to update my readers on my own health status and how I've been progressing. In other words: this week is all about ME! :p

Something I really want to stress to my readers is that the changes and efforts I'm making are not to be considered a "diet". To me, diets are quick, short-term changes that are more useful for dropping a few "el bees" for a reunion or wedding. The kind of changes I am making are life-long changes, which means that I have a much further goal date. BUT, that doesn't mean there's room for more"cheat days" or "off-weeks". It just means that I'm making progressive changes that take time for my body and mind to adjust to, and will live with for the rest of my life.

So, right off the bat, we all know by now that it's more difficult for me to lose weight than the average 23-year old (whomp whomp - Debbie Downer just arrived). I have a slight metabolic problem and a sensitivity to sugar & carbs- which made Halloween extra frightening for me. Despite these hinderances, I had dropped about 14 lbs. as of a few weeks ago. Then, I went up 5.5 lbs. in only four days. 'Tell me you're kidding', comes to mind. Honestly, I wanted to throw in the towel. I was practically killing myself at the gym, following a very healthy food plan, and yet I managed to GAIN weight. Seriously, I thought, "what the heck is goin' onnnn??? UGHH!" *throws scale across the room*

Alright, so again I stress that I'm human, and so I freaked out a little bit when I saw the numbers in front of me. Some people I know can simply cut out Diet Coke and lose 5 lbs.- absolutely abhorrent! ..I know. But, I knew in that moment that I had a choice, something my mother, aka dietition, always reminds me of.

So, I stared at myself in the mirror envisioning a chubby blonde girl perched on my left shoulder and a slender blonde girl on my right: The chub-ster bit into a slice of extra cheesy pizza and said with a mouthful, "Aw jusf giff up already! You can't do it! Look at yourself, you've giffen it all you can and you STILL can't lose the weight. It's worthless!". It was so easy to believe her, and the pizza looked heavenly enough to cross to the dark side. But, I also knew that path: The heartbreak I'd cause my own self. The frustration and self-loathing that would haunt me endlessly. I could feel the hurt turn into anger when I heard, "You haven't failed yet. It's a challenge, yes. But, you are being challenged because you're a fighter. And only those who know how to take a punch are the ones who learn to stand up again." It was clear as day. I had two choices:
1.) fail.
2.) try.

Well, I was a straight 'A' student in High School and Dean's list member in college, so "fail" was not in my vocabulary.

So, what did I do? Well, I stomped my feet a little bit. Then put "weight" out of the picture. I knew at that point I just signed myself up for a battle. But, I'd much rather be the girl who was known to fight her way to the finish, than the girl who stood in line at the food-stand cheering everyone else on.

Alright, so many of you might be wondering where my weight stands at this point. WELL, I dropped the 5.5 lbs., but more importantly, I decided that for me to be successful, I need to stay away from the scale for a little while and just see how clothes fit, how I feel, etc. (but just as an f.y.i. my jeans are falling off these days.. ;) So, someday soon I will get on that scale again, but until then I need to stay positive and not let water weight or any other fluctuations deter me from my goals!

I keep reminding myself that I could spend forever struggling with my weight, or spend the rest of my life conquering it.

Quote of the Week:
"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." -Thomas A. Edison

xx,
-Kate

Week VII: Body Mirage

Hi Readers!

Hope you found some tunes to add to your workout playlist from last week's post!

This week, I had a lot of things in mind to talk about, but I kept running into a particular topic which is becoming quite popular to discuss, and that is body image. Whether you're famous or not (*cough cough* Jessica Simpson), we all struggle to find an appropriate scale to place ourselves on, regarding what looks heavy, skinny, and especially healthy! Labels certainly don't help. On Monday, actress, Portia de Rossi, was on Oprah talking about what body descriptions translated to while struggling with her own body issues: "normal" meant average-looking, "womanly" meant curvy, "healthy" meant robust.

Some of these misconceptions about our bodies come from the standards society places on us with weight. It's no secret that magazine's heavily re-touch photographs, but even more shocking is what, actress, Rachel Leigh Cook exposed to Fox News: In October, Rachel discussed her own disgust with Hollywood's pressure to be thin, and it's portrayal to the public. She went on to reveal that even the supposed "candid" photos of celebrities are being altered. What's been happening is that paparazzi will put a 'slimming' lens on their camera to stretch the image, and thus, make the celebrity appear taller and leaner. Then, they tell us that these are the most beautiful women in the country, or world even, and of course setting another unrealistic standard for women to compare themselves against.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not here to say we need voluptuous curves. Believe me, I'm trying to get RID of all things "voluptuous". But where or when do we draw the line... when is skinnier, TOO skinny? I know the androgynous look is in (thanks to the skinny jean and 20%

of society that actually looks good in them) but how many girls are born with aboy-ish frame?? I mean, we are WOmen after-all, right? Some of my favorite healthy & realistic body-idols are Carrie Underwood, Reese Witherspoon, Kelly Osbourne, and Jennifer Aniston.

Honestly, body-image is not just a gray-area, but also a dark place for many of us. But what I keep emphasizing to myself, which you can too, is to be the best-looking YOU. I know it sounds incredibly cliche, and we've heard it all before, but seriously, we need to stop the comparisons. So many people are facing B.D.D. (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) because we can't accept our own image due to the distorted expectations.

Here's a tip I practice 3x a day to stop the negative voices: write down an immediate thought that is upsetting you and find a more rational way of thinking about it.

For example: "I think I'm unattractive". Write down evidence that proves it, and then evidence that disproves it. Then, rewrite that thought with a more clear conscience and repeat it 3x a day. I honestly do this everyday and suddenly when a negative thought pops in, I can immediately restate the thought in a more realistic way.

*Please remember, I'm not a doctor, just a young woman trying to find a healthy-path through life! So, please take my recommendations with your own regard. And of course I'd love to hear how you all have found a happy and healthy path in your lives! So, click below on "comment" to share your thoughts! (for those without a google account click on Anonymous or Name/URL)

Quote of the Week:

"The happiest man alive would look in the mirror and see himself exactly as he is" - Dumbledore, Harry Potter

xx,

-Kate

Week VI: Power

Welcome Fitness Enthusiasts!

Thought I'd greet you with a great big Richard Simmons welcome! I mean, nothing spells excitement for health more than short-shorts and a skin-tight starry tank top!

Alriigght, glitter and flamboyancy aside- I don't want to frighten my male audience.. or female, for that matter.

This week I thought we'd start getting real about what we go through when starting a new lifestyle change or, the dirty "d" word, *diet*. Let's face it, if cutting out carbs, working out regularly, lowering sugars, and counting calories were SO easy, we'd all be in fighting shape. The reality of it is there are many reasons why we struggle with finding success in our health goals: expenses, will power, support of family and friends, and a plethora of other factors we individually face. But, in order to be successful, these are things we have to combat, and be honest with ourselves about, so we can move on and make this change on a smoother course.

I'd like to focus on one struggle at a time so we're not overwhelmed. And this week I thought we'd touch on one of the biggest deterrents, that also happens to be one of the biggest catalysts, for finding success: WILL POWER!

willpower (ˈwɪlˌpaʊə)
—n
1.	the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions
2.	firmness of will

Honestly, definition 1. is so kick-ass I can't even handle it. Webster's dictionary essentially states that "Willpower" is our ability to control and determine our actions. In other words, we hold the fate. Willpower is such a gift, and gamble all at the same time, because without it we put the power in someone else's hands- we no longer have the control. Scary stuff... but powerful too. Think about it: you don't need to be rich to have willpower, you don't need to have a ton of resources either. Willpower is up to YOU.

So, here are a few things we can all do in order to be successful with maintaining and finding the willpower to reach our goals:

1.) THINK POSITIVE THOUGHTS: this is something that my trainer is constantly saying to me as I struggle to do vein-popping pull-ups (gross... I know). Positive thinking knocks out those vile thoughts that are only there to kick you down. I try to tell myself something positive every time a negative thought entires my mind.

For example- you're at the mall trying on new jeans and realize that despite your tough efforts to lose weight for the past few months, you're still the same jean size. STOP! PAUSE! Our instinct is to run out of the store and stalk up on all the Ben & Jerry's flavors the closest convenient store has. BUT, something I've had to even remind myself of is that weight loss isn't instant, inches don't always melt away. Tell yourself that despite the fact that you haven't gone down a size, you aren't up a size either. And, who knows, you could lose a bunch of weight the following week as your body adjusts to your new routine. Honestly, most weeks I struggle losing one pound, but the other week I lost 5.5 lbs. because my body is going through drastic workout and food changes. So, have patience, and remember that you will get there...which leads me to my next tip.

2.) MAKE SMALL GOALS: You're much more likely to reach your long-term goal if you make short ones along the way. Think about it, if you made a goal to lose 50 lbs. by next year, that gives you a lot of opportunities to either get overwhelmed with the amount of effort it will take, or procrastinate considering it seems so far off. So, take it day-by-day. Make smaller goals that can lead to the ultimate one.

For example- make a goal to start running/walking longer distances, even if just for an extra 1/4 mile, or hold that plank position for 10 more seconds each week. These little efforts will go a long way, especially after a year has gone by, and you won't feel overwhelmed in the process.

3.) LOVE YOURSELF: sounds cheesy, and maybe obvious to some, but by loving yourself and having respect for your well-being will make willpower a whole lot easier to embody. If you already care about yourself then finding the willpower to be the best "you" will be like brushing your teeth every morning - a thoughtless action to take care of your long-term health.

Again these are just some of the things I like to think of when my willpower is weak during tough days. But, by keeping that overarching goal in the background, and focusing on these tiny efforts each day, willpower will come naturally. I have faith in you, but you must also find faith in yourself.

Throughout the next month, I will also talk about two other big struggles people come across while working on their health: COST & SUPPORT. So, tune in for those two discussions in the near future :)

Now, grab your shortest striped shorts (I have SO many to choose from!), some canola oil for your legs, and get 'ya groove on!!

Quote of the week:

"Yes. You. Can!" - Richard Simmons

xx,

-Kate