Week XVII: Update

Hey Readers,

Sorry I've had about a months hiatus from writing. I've been a busy bee! But such is life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As busy times come and go, staying healthy is something that needs to remain constant and consistent, regardless. I'm not going to pretend to be perfect. I've certainly indulged here and there in the past month (especially with the emotional eating that went on during the Superbowl game :/ ), but in general, things have remained the same for me: keeping a tough workout regimen, eating a healthy diet, and finding ways to keep my mind & spirit at peace with things.

Currently, I am still down just 35 lbs., but I also recently found out that I've lost 8% of my body fat over the past few months... which is quite significant. It's not only a big drop in body fat, but important that I am now in the "normal" range for my total body fat percentage, based on my weight and height. I skipped straight from the "obese" to "normal" surpassing the "overweight" numbers completely. Not going to lie, I was kind of impressed with myself. Although, dead-lifting 95 lbs. and running 8mph 1/4-mile sprints should bring rather substantial results. My trainer would like to see me go down another 4% to be the in "fitness" range.. but we'll take that goal one day at a time.

I also recently ran into the health director at my gym and she relayed to my trainer how shocked she was to see my transformation. Thirty-five pounds is a lot, but especially while transitioning much of that weight from fat to muscle. Thus, inches have been the biggest difference with me. I lost over 9 inches around my back/chest alone.. kinda gross for me to think about, honestly. And I can really see a lot of definition in my arms, legs, and abdomen. My endurance has grown drastically, as well. I started jogging at 5.5 mph and now run a 8:30 minute mile at about 7.2 mph every day. My trainer really wants me to start running half-marathons considering I run about 3 miles every day, but I don't think she fully understands my hatred of running. I just can't kick it. I absolutely feel miserable when I run and I don't really know why. So, the half-marathon is being put on the back-burner to my other goals= 15 more pounds of weight loss, and 4% drop in body fat.

All-in-all, a lot of exciting stuff going on. But, most importantly, a lot of these changes are becoming just part of my every day life and giving me the confidence to push forward and really crush those last 15 pounds.

Hopefully the next time I write I will have more progress with my goals and will continue to find motivation within myself and from my readers :)

Love you all and hope you are feeling healthy and happy as always!

Quote of the week:
"Whether you think that you can, or think that you cannot, you are right." - Henry Ford (spoken every day by my trainer)

xx,
-Kate

Week XVI: Patience

Good Afternoon Readers,

I wanted to talk to you about something that is very important when trying to reach your fitness and/or health goals. Many of you, I'm sure, have made resolutions to lose weight. Unfortunately, many will also give up after about two weeks of making that resolution. Instead of pointing fingers, I can sympathize with many of you on why you might give up so quickly.

When I took on this challenge of living a healthier lifestyle I had a number in mind that I wanted to lose within a years time. I broke it down and figured out how much that meant I would need to lose each week in order to hit my goal. Well, you can imagine my frustrations when it took me almost two whole months to even drop a pound. TWO WHOLE MONTHS: 8 weeks: 60 days.. to even see one pound flutter off the scale. But, the great thing is that I did lose that one pound.. and many many many more following.

It's human nature, I think, to give up after not getting results immediately. Particularly in this day in age we are conditioned and expected to have instant gratification. To put in so much time and effort and see results is like a high, but when you don't see results it's like a punch in the stomach. Thus, many of us figure, 'why put in so much effort if things aren't going to change.'. Something I learned from my journey on this healthier road was that patience can bring the biggest rewards. Liposuction, quick-fix diets, "magic pills", can bring on quick results, however, they won't last and don't teach you how to keep that weight off. Taking the time to figure your body out and coach it to success is the only way to reach results that are lasting and worth your while.

I know you are all thinking that this is easier said than done: waiting for the weight to come off. And you're right. Motivation is a hard thing to hold on to when you don't have anything tangible to keep you going. But, as I said, my journey has been a learning process. And I knew there was no turning back to my old ways, this was it. It was keep trying, or be unhealthy forever. So, I decided I needed to find my "tangible" object to focus on and find motivation within. The focus I kept in the forefront was the fact that, although the weight wasn't coming off, I was feeling stronger and my body was loving the endorphin-endused workouts. So, I stuck through it. I never gave up and I wish everyone could feel what I'm feeling now. I'm only 15 pounds away from my goal weight which is unreal to me.

I've built such a happy person through all of this. My happiness did not come from seeing the weight drop, it came from looking and feeling healthy, laughing and smiling without feeling self-conscious, and being the Kate I know I'm supposed to be. Patience pays off, people. Anything is worth the weight wait ;) You have to want it, mind, body, and soul. And you can do it!! I believed in me, I believe in you, and know that in each of us is a happy and healthy person who just needs patience and perseverance to come out.

Quote of the Week:
"It's not about the weight." - my personal trainer

xx
-Kate

Week XV: The Invisible Muscle

Hi Followers!

The holidays are such a tease: delicious cookies, feasts, wine, desserts for us to enjoy, then (BAM!) New Years resolutions start a week later. Okay, really, whose sick joke is this???

Well, it may be really tough for us to get off track and jump back on, but it's also a good time to strengthen what I call the "invisible muscle". This invisible muscle is the strength it takes from falling off the bandwagon to having to climb right back on. For some people this takes weeks, maybe months to pull themselves back up after they've given in to the 'dark side'. And yet I was always amazed at how some people could eat one bad meal and then completely get back on track by the next. So, I thought right now was the perfect time for me to learn how to strengthen this muscle and have a quick rebound after I had a not-so-healthy week.

Easier said than done, right? Well, considering I've been following a healthier lifestyle for more than 4 months now, it wasn't as hard as I imagined. Let's go back in time about 8 days ago: Katie gets diagnosed with "walking pneumonia", which translates to "not allowed to workout for a week". Lingering holiday food around, no where to escape to, and visions of sugar-plums danced around in my head... okay we'll blame that one on the pneumonia. As you can tell, this was becoming a very appropriate time for me to fall off the wagon.

So, it certainly wasn't my best week. But, I continued to remind myself that this was a trial period for me. Trial, in terms of how I would react to this "beyond my control" situation. Typically in the past I would have just gone full-throttle into the eating bad, lazy, don't care attitude. But, I knew I was stronger than that, and thus, I decided instead of throwing in the towel, I would compensate for my situation. So, I made sure I kept my food intake in check more closely since I wouldn't be able to give my body a good workout. Some of the things I did was to keep a food diary (bodymedia.com), drink a TON of water, and get lots of rest. Even though I wasn't working out, my body was burning a decent amount of calories to heal itself. I did give in to a few cravings but only because, as I mentioned in a previous post, if I pushed that craving aside I would most likely want it twice as much later. And honestly, it worked. I had my unhealthy choice but then got it out of my system and didn't look back. Either way, I really tried to stay optimistic and not give up when so much was trying to pull me down.

Now, a week later, I am back in my gym routine (slowly of course), and on my regular food plan, as well. I'm only planning to go to my trainer once this week as my lungs aren't quite where I'd like them to be just yet. But I'm getting there, and I'm so glad that I had the strength to stay afloat while many temptations were pulling me down into the lazy, eat-what-you-want trap. I really found a way to pulse that invisible muscle called willpower to stay on track and pull myself up off the ground when sickness and the holidays were waiting for me as a speed bump along the way.

You know, I'm a really big adventurist. I love to create journeys for myself and see where I end up, who I meet, situations I'll have to handle, how I can grow from these new experiences.. But, I'm learning that one of my biggest adventures never even required me to leave my town. This whole experience of testing myself and pushing myself to be the best "me" has been a whole adventure on its own and probably been the most rewarding journey I'll take myself on. But then again.. never say never, right?!?

Well, until next time readers...

Quote of the Week:
"Life is either a great adventure or nothing" - Helen Keller

xx
-Kate

Week XIV: A Week of Three's

First of all, I hope you all had a very special and happy Christmas!

I know I mentioned that the best gift I had given myself was dropping 25 pounds, but can you believe that I have dropped nearly 8 more pounds since then!?! That's right, so now I'm down 33 pounds AND 3 jean sizes. Thus, I am declaring this week my "Week of Three's"!

It has been grueling with all the holiday cookies sitting around and delicious dishes friends and family have brought over, but, somehow I managed to stay mostly on track and only eat goodies in moderation. In all honesty, Christmas Eve was probably the hardest. I ate cookie after cookie, lasagna, drank wine.. you name it, I had it. I felt sick after I'd given in to the temptations around me. But, what I told myself after is what made the difference in my ability to stay on track. I knew that I hadn't eaten like that in a very long time, and wouldn't be successful if I kept it up. So, I made sure I stopped eating around 7pm that night, woke up, and started fresh. I made sure that if I really wanted a cookie I would let myself have one, considering if I hadn't let myself I'd crave it twice over later on. That brings me to a new revelation I've had as well..

The other day my mom apologized to me for having so many sweets and "bad" foods in the house as family came to stay with us. I told her to stop apologizing because I can have those foods if I want them- it's just that I don't want them. I found that if I tell myself I can't have something, I want it that much more- not exactly rocket science. But, somehow I found that telling myself I can have it, that I don't crave it. I mean, the saying does go, "you want what you can't have". And I found that beyond material things, the saying applies to food and cravings as well. The hard part is that it comes down to your own will power at that point, because if you actually do want it, then you better off eating it than craving it x10 in the future. I try to remind myself that even though it looks good and might smell good, it never tastes as good as you imagined and nothing feels as good as having your brother say, "whoa, hello miss skinny!", after not seeing him for 4 months. So, my point is, try to find something to keep you away from wanting what isn't the best for your health, and you'll soon see that it isn't so hard to stare at those fluffy little cookies and look away without taking a bite.

Quote of the Week:
"You can have anything you want if you will give up the belief that you can't have it."- Dr. Robert Anthony

xx,
-Kate

Week XIII: Getting There

Hi little readers!

This weeks post will be super short due to my extreeemely crazy schedule ("schezule", for you fancy folk!). And, I know all of you are superly duperly busy too! Sooo, I wanted to update everyone on my progress with my health and weight-loss goals.

With the help of great friends, family, my amazing/awesome/stellar/bff personal trainer, I am now past the half-way mark to my goal weight! :D Which means I'm down more than 25 pounds!!!

DONE-ZO!

It's sort of crazy to go on the scale these days and see the weight jump down every week. Well.. when I say "jump" I really mean "crawl", considering I've busted my tush for every inch lost and pound dropped. But, it has certainly been worth it. I had a trainer at my gym come up to me and say, "I see you here ALL the time and you look awesome!! You can tell you've lost the weight.". That certainly put an extra bounce in my step while running. I think feedback is HUGE for success in many aspects of life, but especially while dealing with something as frustrating as weight loss.

I've been so happy with my change in, not only my health, but, my attitude towards this lifestyle change and life itself. I found a great balance between eating right and treating myself right too. I still have quite a ways to go with my total weight-loss, but I'm well on my way and excited to get there!

Hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday! [And don't beat yourself up if you have a few cookies.. you all deserve it!]

Best Wishes,

-Kate

Week XII: Which List Will You Be On?

Hello Fit-sters!

So, I got to thinking.. life is nothing but choices: skip the gym/don't skip the gym; spend the paycheck/don't spend the paycheck; write a blog/don't write a blog; eat the cookie/don't eat the cookie.. Well, you get the point! During the holidays we're often reminded of the choices we have made over the year, particularly through Santa's list *wink wink*.

So, before Santa checks his list twice, I'm giving you one last choice to make: Do you want to be on a "Good List" or "Bad List" with food this holiday season? Now, I'm not one of Santa's little elves so your secret is safe between you and the happily fat, bearded guy. But, I thought I'd make things a little clearer for you with two recipes (below) that fall in the "Good/healthy" list and the "Bad/unhealthy" list. 

Don't forget to choose wisely because not only will Santa treat you as desired, but so will your body :)

Good List

Low-Calorie  Double Layer Pumpkin Pie

Nutritional Facts:
Serving: one slice
Calories=132
Sugar=3 g
Carbs= 9g
Protein=5g

Ingredients:

One 8-oz. pkg reducd-fat cream cheese, softened                                         1/3 cup Spenda granular, divided                            
One 16-oz. can pure pumpkin puree                        
One 4-serv. size sugar free, instant vanilla pudding                                       2 tsps Pumpkin Pie Spice

1-1/2 cups Cook Whip, thawed
One ready-made graham cracker crust    
2 tbsps half & half
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup low fat-milk
                  

Directions:
In a large bowl beat together cream cheese, half & half, 2 tbsps of the Spenda, and vanilla until smooth. Gently fold in thawed whipped topping. Carefully spread mixture into crust. (You can also layer this in pretty bowls or glasses.) Using the same bowl combine milk, pudding mix, pumpkin puree, spices and remaining Spenda. Beat until smooth and thickened. Pour over the cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate 4 hours or until set. Makes 10 servings.

Gingerbread Man-Torturer Bad List

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Nutritional Facts:

Serving: 2 cookies
Calories=200

Sugar=14g

Carbs=22g

Protein=4g

Ingredients:

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES brand Milk Chocolates   1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter              1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar                          1 egg

2 tablespoons milk                                                   1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour                                    1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt                                                      Granulated sugar

Directions:

1.) Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. 

2.) Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. 

3.) Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4.) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack open around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cook completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

*nutrients and recipes from "HERSHEY'S KITCHEN"

Fun tip: For my "naughty" list readers, try keeping a bowl of fruit nearby while baking so you nibble on the good stuff instead of licking the batter ;) Or chew on a piece of gum. 

You might be wondering which list I'll be on this Christmas.. Well, like I said, that's between me and the happily fat, bearded guy! 

Quote of the week:

"Gum is my Nicorette for food." - annonymous ;)

xx,

-Kate

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

X: Free Ticket!

Alright My Little Turkey Eaters,

So, I wanted to formally give each of you a "Free Ticket" to enjoy whatever you want for Thanksgiving (in moderation, of course). All of us deserve to enjoy our time with family, friends, and all loved ones. So, as grandma complains that her mashed potatoes aren't salty enough, Uncle Bob drinks his sixth glass of wine, and cousin Charlie throws green beans in your hair.. just think of how lucky each of us are to have each other, our current health, and a warm turkey that has none of those things! :p

Each year my family goes around the table and says what they are thankful for, and this year, like last, I will not be with my immediate family so I thought I'd write on here what I am most thankful for:

Friends. - Last year I spent Thanksgiving in Rome with friends from Holland, Belgium, Dublin, & Austria. And this year, I'll be spending it with my best friend, Jennie, and her family. I am just so grateful to have friends that are willing to share this special time with me and always be there. Whether I'm in Rome, New York City, or Pittsburgh, I know I always have great friends to turn to- and no matter how alone we can feel, it's nice to know that wherever we go, there, our friends will be :)

Click here to read about my Thanksgiving last year in Italia!

Happy Thanksgiving Readers,

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: BONUS POST

Welcommmee to BONUUUUS Post!!!!!!

Alright fit-sters, I thought I'd surprise ya with an extra weekly post. Something short 'n sweet to keep you going this week!

Let's be honest, music can be a HUGE part of our workouts. I know that nothing makes me more excited to go to the gym than when I download new tunes. And nothing un-excites me more than when I have been listening to the same music for months on end.. or even worse, when you realize you've left your iPod at home *dun dun dunnn* OH! the horror!!

Truly though.

So, since I think we all agree that music is a factor in keeping up with our healthy routines, I thought I'd share with you some

tunes that keep me going that extra mile at the gym. I also thought my readers could share some of their own personal favorites in the comments section (which I believe I fixed so anyone should be able to comment now).

First of all, I'd be lying if I said that I don't regularly watch Britney Spears' music videos while on the elliptical, imagining that it's me with that Burmese Python for some serious motivation- but that's a whole other issue, for a whole other post! Anywaaysss, here's a quick-list of my fav workout-boosters, in no particular order:

1.) Lady Gaga - "Teeth"

2.) Missy Elliot - "I'm Really Hot"

3.) Michael Jackson - "Blood on the Dancefloor"

4.) Kanye West - "Coldest Winter"

5.) Justin Timberlake - "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows"

6.) Britney Spears - "Hot As Ice"

7.) Britney Spears - "Boys [The Co-Ed Remix]"

8.) Britney Spears - "Ooh Ooh Baby"

^...I'm seeing a trend here...^

9.) Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race (Kanye West Remix)"

10.) Akon ft. Keri Hilson - "Oh Africa"

11.) James Brown - "I Feel Good"

12.) Jennifer Lopez - "Let's Get Loud"

13.) Mika - "Rain"

14.) Michael Jackson - "They Don't Care About Us"

So, maybe you'll find one or two to add to your workout playlist. And again, if you have any you'd like to share yourself, then please feel free to comment below :)

Quote of the day:

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane to those who couldn't hear the music."

-Angela Monte

xx,

-Kate

P.S. hope some of you realized the correlation between the image of Bugs and my blog music ;)