Many people go through life everyday chasing happiness as if it is something that we can find hidden somewhere and once we find it we hold onto it forever. As if happiness is a destination rather than a journey. “When I lose weight, I will finally be happy,” “When I am a size two, I will be happy,” “I would be happy if…” “Once I can afford a new car, I will be happy,” “I can’t wait for warmer weather, then I will be happy,” There was a time in my life when I truly believed that I would finally be happy once I achieved a certain body type. While I never realized it at the time, this continuous thought process of what I needed to change about my body in order to make me happy really became so paralyzing. It took time and attention away from enjoying a lot of wonderful moments, nights out with my girlfriends, family gatherings, school etc. I was never presently anywhere because my mind was too preoccupied thinking about what more I could do in order to achieve this “happiness.” It is SO easy to get caught up in this mindset that once you reach a certain destination you will be happy. The media is constantly portraying these types of claims in the health and fitness industry. Selling a new “30 day cleanse,” diet programs, shakes or product line that guarantees results FAST. Giving the consumer the feeling that once they can drop 10 lbs. in 12 days, THEN they will be happy. The truth is, there is no one specific weight, body type, or fitness goal that is going to make you inherently happy. There is no linear relationship between how lean you are and life satisfaction. Doing any one diet or fitness protocol is NOT the secret to everlasting life and happiness. You must understand that health and happiness is a journey, not a destination. Once you can understand that you will change how you interact with life entirely. Your body (this includes your physical, mental and emotional health) is so dynamic and ever changing. The body you have today will not look like the body you had 5 years ago or the body you will have in 10 years. With life experiences like pregnancy, climate change, life stressors and circumstances, it will always be changing and adapting. THIS IS NORMAL, and this is okay. Actually, this is wonderful! Our bodies are AMAZING things. They have the ability to adapt to any circumstance or situation, grow and support a human life, ability to heal and protect itself, the list goes on. Your body fluctuates and your health fluctuates. When are mindset is that we need to be at a certain place to be happy, worthy of love etc. small fluctuations will result in stress and anxiety (which raises cortisol levels which leads to weight gain). Understanding that your health and wellness is a journey means that you understand that your body will fluctuate. You give yourself the freedom to not feel guilty or shamed when things change. This means more balance and less self-sabotaging behaviors. This means working with your body, not against it. This means finding which wholesome foods make YOU feel good, what type of physical activity makes your body feel strong and empowered. Doing things that you love and enjoy to build a life of HAPPINESS. Have you been pursuing happiness as a destination rather than a journey? Feel free to discuss in the comments below xo
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Ready, Set, Glow 5 Steps to Radiant (Winter) Skin 1. First things first…. Whether we like it or not the hot and humid days are a thing of the past. This means it is time to put aside the oil-fighting cleansers and toners. The biggest complaint I hear from my clients about their skin in the winter is that it dries out, lack of glow… This is because in the cooler months our skin is drying out and it can feel like we our losing our luster.Well have no fear…. In order to combat dry skin you should consider adding a hydrating essential oil to your regime. Beautycounter Hydrating Face Oil is the simplest way to moisturize skin and boost radiance. This formula contains jasmine oil and is absorbed into the skin for ultimate hydration. It’s a great option for anyone with dry to maturing skin. 2. Get up and get sweating! One of the reasons we look great in the summer is because we are taking in more fluids and getting more exercise outside. We experience that radiant glow that seems to fade as the winter approaches. During the fall and winter months you need to continue to take in a lot of water and exercise. Maybe it won’t be outside any longer, but find a fitness class or activity that you enjoy inside. Or…. You can be a nut like me and take on the sport of cyclocross. (I promise you wont regret it ) 3. Turn down the temperature. I know I know, who doesn’t love a hot shower on a cold winter night?! But… I hate to break it to you that hot water in the tub or shower is actually really dehydrating. Adding body oil to your skin immediately after your shower can add moisture-boosting benefits and leave you feeling silky smooth. My personal favorite is Beautycounter’s Body Oil in Citrus Mimosa. This formula of 13 botanical oils is instantly absorbed and intensely moisturizing. To use, apply immediately after bathing to damp skin in order to lock in moisture. Towel dry after. Its also really lovely if you apply a few drops of this oil to our daily Hydrating Citrus Mimosa Body Lotion and apply all over. 4. Think of your outer layer of skin as a piece of glass that needs to be polished regularly in order to remain shiny and glistening. The more you have dead skin cells sitting on top of your skin, the less luminous you look. This means you need a gentle exfoliation to use year-round to keep your skin glowing. I use Beautycounters Nourishing Cream Exfoliator . To get the most from this product, apply a small amount to damp skin and massage in circular motions, then rinse with warm water. It is a gentle enough formula that you can use it once a day if you want. I love it! 5. Lastly, if there is one thing everyone needs to help keep their skin luminous and glowing, it is a high quality clean moisturizer. Beautycounter’s Rejuvenating Day Cream is a combination of omega-rich natural oils and vitamin-rice fruit extracts that hydrate and brighten skin, while spilanthes acmella flower extract helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I would say it’s a win, win! Obviously, I am biased about which products I feel are the best and with good reason. Beautycounter has one sole mission… to get safer products into the hands of everyone. Every single product is 100% clean, safe and free of any toxic chemical. If you are interested please take the time to check out my Beautycounter Page here on the blog to learn more. Regardless of which products you decide to use it is the same steps and the same regimen you would apply to help you keep your radiant glow this winter! P.S. 23 Weeks ‘til Summer!!! Hey there friends! I hope everyone had an awesome three-day weekend. I traveled up north to Stratton, VT late Thursday night so I was out of reception till today which can be really nice, but also leaves me anxious to get on and be able to share with you guys again. My weekend was full of family, laughs, and beautiful weather surrounded by the gorgeous foliage that Vermont has to offer this time of year. It was also full of some awesome challenges… physical challenges. Friday, Timmy and I woke up (relatively very late for us, which was kinda awesome) ate a big bowl of oatmeal and headed out on our bikes for a ride. The terrain was clearly much hillier than what we get on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The challenge in climbing was so satisfying, one climb after the next, with a few long descents along the way. Can’t underestimate the altitude. The change in altitude is no joke. Exposure to high altitude can theoretically improve an athlete’s capacity to exercise. Exposing the body to high altitude causes it to acclimatize to the lower level of oxygen available in the atmosphere. Many of the changes that occur with acclimatization improve the delivery of oxygen to the muscles -the theory being that more oxygen will lead to better performance. You begin to understand how much the change in altitude really does increase the Effort required for the body to perform. All I could imagine during our weekend was how strong we would be if we trained regularly in such an environment. Saturday we took a “rest” day and went over to the Bromley Mt. Alpine Slide. Its basically an opportunity for any adult to take a trip back to their childhood for 3 or so minutes and rip down the mountain on a plastic slide, in and out of the ski slopes, trees and beautiful sights. SO FUN. And then came Sunday… The morning of the North Face Race to the Summit ...or I would rather call it the Stratton Torture Fest.At 9:30am we lined up at the start line at the base of Stratton Mt and when the gun went off so did we. Charging straight up Lower Standard-Interstate-Drifter...2.1 miles up to the summit. That may not sound like a very long way to go, but don't let the distance fool you. About 1.5 minutes into it, your heart rate is pinned at about 175 bpm as you climb/run one foot in front of the other racing to the top. During the race there were a few things on my mind... 1st, "What the hell was I thinking signing up for this again?!"... "Are we there yet?!" and "You can do this Kat, don't give up!" 40 minutes later I sprinted over the finish line to later find out that I placed 3rd! I still cant believe it... Later on after the Patriots game, we headed back over to Stratton Mt. to step back in time with Timmy and catch a Grateful Dead cover band, Dark Star Orchestra, that was performing at the mountain as part of the Columbus Day weekend festivities. It was so fun! I was never a "Dead Head," but it was so fun to watch joy come over Timmy as we grabbed a beer and just danced to the amazing tunes. The place was full and everyone there, from 2 years old to 99, was just enjoying themselves without a care in the world. Its a nice state to be in every once in awhile... We ended the weekend with a family hike up Bromley Mt. The sights were breathtaking, and the temp a bit....brisk😃 For us, spending the time outdoors doing the things we love is so important for our wellbeing. It was indeed a weekend well spent... xo As a personal trainer, so many times I have clients bring up the concern for lifting heavy weights because they are afraid of gaining too much muscle mass and “looking like a man”. This idea of lifting weights is something I want to address today… because, well… it’s just not accurate. Let me break down strength training in a very easy, scientific explanation… Strength training is often referred to as resistance training; this is because it involves strengthening your muscles by contracting them against a resisting force. There are two types of resistance training:
There are several different types of muscle fibers. Type one is the slow twitch fibers, activated when walking, some yoga poses, body weight training etc. Then there are type two muscle fibers, which are fast twitch muscle fibers. In order to get the “total body” benefits of working out, including hormonal and endocrine benefits you NEED to use BOTH types of fibers. The only way to activate type two muscle fibers is by putting your body under resistance and progressively “heavier” loads. Now, heavy is a personal thing…. What is heavy for one person will not be what is appropriate for someone else. That’s why I use the term progressively heavier. Someone who is just starting out with their workout journey and strength training for the first time might find that a body weight squat is all the resistance they can do, and that’s great! We all start somewhere. In four weeks, they might be able to add 5 lbs. dumbbells and squat. This is also great! As long as they progressively lift more resistance they will be activating these type II fibers. Now heavy loads doesn’t necessarily mean lifting barbells. While barbells and free weights are an excellent way to strength train… some people may not enjoy working out in that way. Therefore, there are many other types of “strength training” exercises you might do somewhere else. Things like medicine balls, kettle bells, resistance bands and chin-up/pull-up bars can all be integrated into a fun program to get a workout in. I am a huge advocate for functional fitness. Doing exercises that involve multiple muscle groups and that are functional. Meaning that they relate to activities of daily living or sport requirements. The reason female bodybuilders spend so much time in the gym is because it takes tremendous effort to build a muscular physique on a feminine frame. Women do not have as much testosterone as men. Therefore, in order for women to achieve the physique of a bodybuilder is takes a huge amount of effort (I know from experience). This will not occur from strength training 2-3 times a week in the gym, I promise. What WILL happen if you start to lift heavy is it will help you build lean muscle and lean you out, but I promise you that you will not “bulk” up unless you have a plan to achieve that physique and work (very) hard at doing so. There are many health benefits from strength training.
& now that you know the truth… go ahead and walk over to that dumbbell rack like you own the joint and lift some weights!!! My promise to you… you wont regret it. xo 1. First and foremost wellness is about both physical and mental health. I truly believe that absolute true wellness comes when combining a physically active lifestyle (to what degree is personal) and strong mental health. When you can create that combination for yourself…that is when you find yourself happy as a whole. I speak from experience. There have been times in my life where I have committed myself to strict “rules.” For example, no carbohydrates, no nuts, no alcohol, no sugar, no treats, etc.. When doing this I created an environment where I felt extremely restricted and therefore felt myself longing for these things more. It actually made my emotional self feel deprived and unworthy. I was NEVER relaxed with myself. Through trial and errors, and a whole lota work, I now have a deeper understanding of what restriction actually does to our mental health and how these “rules” can seriously change our perception or our stories about certain foods. If I had allowed myself to let my emotional self make some decisions around food, I wouldn’t have drowned in self-condemnation and harsh judgment. I wouldn’t have had to feel like I was at war. I would have been able to feel at peace with food, and to be able to eat more intuitively and lovingly. 2. Following diet “rules” can make you eat even worse When I ate strict (enter one of the many fad diets here), I followed strict diet rules like I mentioned in part 1. Following these rules made me feel like I was deprived. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the foods I couldn’t have. I obsessed over them. I dreamt about sweet foods like it was my job. I truly started to have compulsive, obsessive thoughts over FOODS I “couldn’t” have. In the end all this did was create a true unhappiness inside of me. I started to feel so restricted that at times I would go on complete benders when I got a hold of a pizza or maybe a chocolate cake. I would eat an outrages amount of this restricted food, in turn enter this extreme guilt state and then practically starve myself a few days after. Once I felt “good” again, this entire cycle would start over. If I had just have known then what I do now…that it was the diet rules that were the problem in the first place, I would have been free. I would have been liberated from my own prison. I would have been able to just relax my grip on my life. I now no longer swing between those violent extremes of perfect and disastrous eating. I have found balance, and you can too. 3. Prioritize Health If you find yourself on a constant search for what diet will work well for you to eliminate your cellulite, or maybe you think your arms are too flabby, or your butt is too wide… whatever is might be, STOP THERE. In some situations losing weight can make you a healthier person. It can decrease inflammation you are experiencing inside your body, boost your energy, give you a peace of mind and positive outlook. While on a weight loss journey you must prioritize the health reasons why you would like to loose some weight, and not focus solely on how you look. Of course, the way you look is a benefit from weight loss, but in terms of what is most important… it is further down on the list. To create a successful environment to loose weight you must love yourself and identify that you are creating a healthier lifestyle for yourself because you love yourself and you want to improve your overall health. Not just what you see in the mirror. 4) Acknowledge that you are not to blame. Acknowledge that your body is trying to be healthy. From that very first day that you were born your body has tried to keep you healthy. Obstacles that gotten in the way… things like magazine headlines that give poorly researched or proven claims about your health credit. Poor medical advice… there are thousands. The point is that your body is not to blame. You and YOUR body are a team. You are both trying to navigate this world and live a healthy lifestyle when you are subject to so much crap and crazy accusations daily. It is not your fault. So rather than blaming your body or being angry with yourself, I suggest acknowledging that you and your body are a team working together against the world full of false information. Don’t be mad- feel supported. Know that your body has your best interest first. Its up to you and your body to together do your best at finding health, peace and balance. Approach your journey of health and wellness with compassion. 5) Love your body, and it loves you back. The more you focus on loving your body (right here, right now) and identifying all if offers for you. The more you treat yourself with acceptance and patience and listening to your body, giving it the nutrients it needs … the more your body loves you back. When your body needs rest and healing and you give it that time, the more it actually heals. When you work at opening up that line of communication between you and your body, your body will tell you what it needs. It’s the most amazing experience I have ever felt. When my body communicates to me that it needs some time to rest, and I give it rest, I reap so many benefits. Things like increased energy, better mood, more restful sleep etc.. I truly feel like we are just starting to create this awareness among people in our society and it is SO exciting. Think about any relationship you have in life, whether it be with your dog, your sister, your best friend or even your boss. When you treat that relationship with respect and love, what happens??? It is the same thing between you and your body. |
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