Monday

Crabs in a Barrel


The Crabs in the Barrel Syndrome  goes as so:

You have a bunch of unhappy, stubborn, prickly crabs all stuck in one barrel. One day, a bold, open minded crab decides to change his situation. So he gathers up his strength and starts to climb up the barrel. It's a long journey. A hard journey. But he's got what it takes.

As crabs are apt to do, they grab and latch onto anything that moves or deviates from the unhappy norm. So now you have one crab scrambling to get out of the barrel and make a difference while another has latched on like a parasite and doesn't do ANYTHING to help out. Now maybe this crab is strong enough to support one slacker crab. 

But then ANOTHER and then ANOTHER latches on. No matter how strong and determined that crab is, the sheer weight of all these other lazy, negative crabs will bring down the first one. And now instead of having one happy crab roaming free out in the world, you still have a full barrel of unhappy crabs who think it's normal to be mediocre, unhappy, and ignorant.

"If I can't have it, neither will you."  Have you ever had the feeling that someone in your life had this attitude toward you?  Surprisingly (and disappointingly), a lot of times, it's your closest friends or even family members.  They see you changing and being successful at something and feel threatened or jealous.  They clearly aren't ready to make the same changes if changes are needed and it could turn into subtle sabotage.  Well meaning people in your life can sabotage your efforts and may not know it.  At least, you hope they don't do it intentionally.

Have you ever tried to cut out certain foods and then when you are with your friends or family, they try and get you to eat those foods?  "Oh come on, just have one.  It's not going to ruin everything for you.  Just have a taste."  That is NOT being a supportive person in your life.  That is dragging you back into bad habits one bite at a time.  I've had this happen, but I've made it clear that I don't want to eat certain things and now they don't say those things to me anymore. They see that I'm successful and content in what I eat and do and they have decided to be happy for me.  I don't pressure them to eat the way I do, so I don't want them to pressure me to eat the way they do.

You can't make people change.  I've said it before.  And, people can't make you change either....not if you aren't ready.  The point here is that we need to NOT be the crabs, but be supportive friends and family to those around us and celebrate with someone when they are experiencing success.  Don't you want someone to say "Congratulations!" to you when you lose 10 pounds?  Or would you rather them pretend not to notice and pressure you to have dessert or drinks when you go out together.

A friend of mine brought up this very subject to me at the Y the other day.  Him and his wife are friends with a couple that are "crabs in a barrel."  They have been encouraging this other couple to be active with them.  The wife came to the Y with his wife for awhile for some workouts.  That commitment faded away and his wife was being stood up at the gym by this friend.  The friend offered to bake with his wife instead of meet for workouts.  Talk about a 180 degree turn!  Anyway, he asked me if there was anything more to do to encourage these friends and also see his wife be successful in her fitness endeavors.  I told him, unfortunately, no.  If their friends had no interest in changing their behaviors, then all he could do was keep doing what he was doing in his fitness routine, cheer on his own wife, and be an inspiration to the other couple.  Maybe they would see the great things that were happening to my friend and want in on it!  

Crabs in a barrel mentality can relate to many situations in life, whether you are losing weight by changing the way you eat and exercising, or pursuing a new career, or going back to school for just a few examples.  It's human nature.  Maybe if you know what it is and can recognize it, then you can head it off at the pass if someone around you starts acting subtly un-supportive.  All you have to say is, "Please support me in the changes I'm making.  I'm trying to reach my goals."  If they can't accept that, then maybe it's time to hang out with other people.

Saturday

New Year's Resolutions


Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is coming.  Most people are starting to think about New Year's Resolutions for 2013.  I am not a full believer of the whole New Year's Resolution idea.  How many people actually follow through on the goals that they set?  Why is there such a failure rate?  Is it because the goals are so lofty or that people are trying to make too many changes at once?  Do you promise that you'll do ____ to change by ____ amount of time?

The reason I don't like the concept of resolutions is that I don't think you should promise that you'll change your life on one certain day of the year.  If you've been following my blog, you know that I believe in making changes a step at a time during your whole life.  We all know it's not easy to change.  It's not easy to suddenly start going to the gym religiously or to give up your favorite fried food.  So, what happens when you swear this to yourself on January 1 each year?  Usually, failure by the end of the month.  Make resolutions to yourself on any given day and work on it all year.  Stop piling on the pressure and then being disappointed when you fail a few weeks later. 

I can tell you that year after year when I go to my gym on January 2nd (because it's closed on the 1st), it is packed.  Last year, all of the treadmills and ellipticals where full.  It was buzzing with people that were certain that this was the year that fitness would be a central part of their lives.   Thoughts of good changes filled the air.  By the end of January, it was back to the same regular people that are always there.  The new faces weren't showing up anymore.  I think this is very unfortunate.  I WANT to see all of these new people succeed in their health and fitness goals.  You all need to know that it takes 6 months of doing something regularly to make it a habit.

What can you do?  Pick one small thing to change.  Work on it for a month, then add another small thing to change.  If you do this every month, you'll change 12 major things in one year!  It won't seem so hard or overwhelming!  The pressure won't be on you to do it all starting January 1.  Pick things like "I'll eat more vegetables" or "I'll drink half my body weight in water every day."  If it's fitness, pick something like "I'll try a new class" or "I'll look up some weight lifting routines."  Step out of your comfort zone a bit.  Write it down and then look at it again next year at this time and see how much you've changed!  It's good to keep a record of goals, changes, and even the food you are eating daily.

I will not be making any New Year's Resolutions.  I will be making All Year Long Resolutions.  You have your whole life to work on  Getting FIT.  Being FIT. Staying FIT.

Tuesday

Tradition

Food is so many things to us besides just fuel for our bodies-- it represents traditions and memories, especially at holiday gatherings.  I was thinking about this with Thanksgiving just two days away.  In my family, I know exactly what will be served every year at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.  It's much the same as it was when I was a kid.  My mom even bakes the same goodies.  It's almost comforting to know that some things like that don't change... it's about the tradition more than about how many goodies I'm going to eat.   In my own house, we have started our own traditions and my kids are already talking about "hors d'oeuvres" night for Christmas Eve.  We've all heard that "food is love" and "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."  (Is it?)

So, can we have the traditions and the memories and still not go overboard at our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday gatherings?  Do you have to turn down mom's famous creamy-this-or-that or buttery sugar cookies? I don't think you have to give up anything.  I think that if you deprive yourself of something completely, it can backfire and you just want it more!  If these foods are something that you only get once a year at these special occasions, then have a little.  If it is something that you can eat at any time, any place, then skip it.  Be mindful.  Have your favorite traditional holiday food for that meal, then back to healthy every day eating.  Too often, people indulge straight through from Thanksgiving to New Years!  That's like marathon eating!

The holidays can also be a difficult time for some people.  Depression, loneliness, and sadness can all show up, especially if you've lost a loved one or your life situation is tough right now.  Be careful not to turn to food for comfort.  Eating a whole pumpkin pie to drown your sorrows will not help you.  The same problems will still be there after you eat and you'll feel bad on top of it.  Find another feel-good activity: exercise, volunteer, sign up to help a needy family, etc.  Food will never really make you feel better.

Don't have traditions related to food?  Start one-- a healthy, yet yummy dish of sorts.  Maybe we can all start an active family tradition too!  A post-Thanksgiving walk outside or a game of touch football.  Shoot baskets or play "around the world" with your kids.

Keep your traditions.  Make new memories.  Be mindful and think about why you love it so much.  Food is fuel for the body and perhaps the soul.  Enjoy every minute this Thanksgiving and give thanks for everyone in your life!

Sunday

HIIT to get FIT

What's HIIT, you say?  HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.  It is a short, high intensity cardio workout that uses your body's anaerobic energy system. (That means the energy system that doesn't require oxygen)  HIIT is also called metabolic circuits or metabolic training.  Basically, you have a period of time where you "work" followed by a "rest/recovery" period.  HIIT usually has short times for each.  It is generally a quick, very effective workout.

Why HIIT?  It is very effective at raising your metabolism and can keep it elevated for 24-48 hours!  It burns a lot of calories and when you drain all of your energy stores during these workouts, you burn a higher percentage of fat during recovery.  There is no downside to this quick workout.  The intervals can be changed to whatever timing you want according to your fitness ability.  You keep your body guessing in a workout like this versus a steady state endurance workout (i.e.- slugging on the treadmill at one pace for a half hour).  These workouts are easy to plan and need minimal equipment.  They can be done anywhere.  All you need is a stopwatch or a clock with a second hand.

How high is "high intensity?"  You should not be able to have a conversation.  You should be breathing hard and sweating!  If you aren't, then you aren't going hard or fast enough.  You have to push past comfort and challenge your body.

Here's a very simplified example of HIIT:

30 seconds of body weight squats (As fast as possible with good form!)
30 seconds rest
30 seconds squats
30 seconds rest

Repeat this pattern 5-10 times total.  That's a 5-10 minute workout.  No more "I have no time!" excuses!  If it felt easy, you weren't pushing hard enough or squatting low enough.  Go faster, squat lower.

Make up your own HIIT routine.  You can jump rope, sprint between two points, do squat jumps, or combine several moves into one routine.  The possibilities are endless!  Try this 2-3 times per week as your cardio.  Tag it onto the end of your strength training if you want.  Watch your body change!

Friday

Free food DOES NOT equal free reign!

This post was prompted by my experience at the Costco open house last night.  The new store is opening and had it's free viewing for our city.  My husband and I took the kids so that we could see what they had, because we are not current members of Costco.  I knew that food samples would be available, but I don't think that I was truly prepared for the volume of food being served.

I truly believe that people can lose control at the sight of food or I should say, certain food.  Especially FREE food.  Let me give you a virtual picture:  As we walked through the store, there were free cans of pop and juice boxes (How about some water, people!).  Then, little cups of trail mix, which actually looked good and was an appropriate serving.  As we neared the back of the store to the bakery section, it was a stand-still mob of people.  Why?  Cake and pie of all sorts and flavors were being handed out.  Full slices, along with coffee.   Near that was a buffet of meatballs slathered in sauce, Caesar salad, and turkey.  Then you walk to the freezer/cooler section and can get a smoothie, a cup of various ice cream, and a cube of cheese with a bit of turkey on a toothpick.  At this point, I've had a cup of coffee, the cheese cube, and a small slice of pumpkin pie.

Follow the mob to the fast food area of the store and find a full fledged free buffet of huge pizzas, brats, hot dogs, chicken casserole, and some sort of hot turkey sandwich.  As much as you want along with anything in the pop machine for FREE.  It was chaos.  We stood in line and I looked around feeling a bit sad.  I can't believe what people eat when it is free.  And, maybe they eat that way when it's not free too.  I don't know, but I felt like a lot of the people there were loading their plates like they hadn't eaten all week or wouldn't have food again until Thanksgiving!  I had one piece of pizza and called it good.  Then, I decided to stop looking around.  I can't imagine eating everything that was offered there.  It wasn't samples......it was buffets.

Have we lost control as a society?  Is food addiction becoming a norm?  Do we really need to be
eating two plates with one of everything on a normal weeknight?  I'm not the judge here.  I don't make a habit of staring at people's plates when we are eating together as friends or family.  People will decide for themselves what they put into their bodies.  Let's just have a little restraint though.  Sample and enjoy, don't gorge and inhale.  And to the store owners.....why are the healthy samples like trail mix and cheese cubes at the appropriate serving size but all of the stuff like cake and pizza the full sized "eat all you want" options?

Thanksgiving is coming and then Christmas and all of the parties and celebrations that go with this wonderful time of year.  If people can't eat sensibly at a Costco opening, what will happen to them during the holiday gatherings?

Wednesday

This body was made for moving...

Recently, I did a "meet and greet" marketing event at a local bank to promote my business.  It was a LOT of standing in one spot. I did my best to move around, knowing that standing in one spot for prolonged periods of time can wreak havoc on my body. I had good shoes on to support my feet, but by the end of my time there, my left knee and back were sore. I fell into bed early that night as if I had had a rough day!  I decided to research the effects of prolonged standing and prolonged sitting on the human body and this is what I found out:

Standing all day can lead to:

  • Foot, leg, back, and hip pain
  • Varicose veins
  • Poor circulation in your legs and feet
  • Joint damage and arthritis
  • Swelling in feet and legs
  • Heart and circulatory problems
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Mental health issues
  • Foot problems (bunions, corns, heel spurs, flat feet)
  • Postural distortions
Imagine how much your risk for these complications goes up if you are carrying extra weight on your body!!

Sitting all day can lead to:

  • Poor posture (rounded, hunched shoulders; head pulled forward)
  • Increase in heart disease and higher cholesterol
  • Muscle imbalances ( tight hip flexors and hamstrings especially, as well as stretched out glutes and quads)
  • Slower calorie burn, which means slower metabolism!
  • More prone to depression because of fewer "feel good" hormones reaching the brain
  • Higher chance of diabetes because the less you move, the less blood sugar you use
  • Higher chance of heart disease
  • The muscles that support your spine get weak and stiff, which leads to back pain
According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, if you sit for more than 11 hours per day, you have a 40% higher chance of dying. The odds of dying are 15% higher for those who sit between 8-11 hours per day.  This is the result of being too sedentary.

We were built to move! I know it's not easy if you have a desk job or a job where you stand in one spot.  So, what can you do to prevent bad things from happening to your body? Sit, stand, AND move around during the day. Stand and walk once per hour at least. Fitting in a workout every day (30 min) helps, but it doesn't erase 8-11 hours of sitting during the day.  Just get up and move throughout the day. It may help lower your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar.  Wear quality shoes with good support. Lose weight if you are overweight or obese to take that pressure off your joints.  Stretch every day!

Here is a great link with more info on what happens when you are too sedentary:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/sedentary-lifestyle-hazards

Our bodies are made for moving, so get moving! It will help you Get FIT, Be FIT, Stay FIT!

Sunday

More Results!

Here is another client testimonial for my business, FIT.  It's a husband/wife team this time.  They rely on each other to stay motivated.  If one doesn't feel like working out, the other encourages them.  It's a winning situation for the pair of them!  Some people are more successful when they have a workout partner, and this is evident for these two.

"My husband and I have tried staying in shape throughout the last 10 years. We always seem to lose interest or "get too busy" with other things. We never really stick to anything. Working with Kara has given us the support we need to change our lifestyle, to feel better and to enjoy being more active! The results have been the best part!! In the first month, I have lost 2.5 inches and am down 2.5% in body fat. He had similar results which makes all the sweat and effort so worth it!! We would highly recommend letting Kara help anyone who is interested in making a change to become more FIT!!"

I can't wait to see what their continued results are at the end of THIS month!  Congrats, guys!

Friday

Lifesaver

The YMCA and fitness saved my life. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but it certainly saved my sanity! I've belonged to the Y for over 4 1/2 years now. Before we joined, I was "drowning" in motherhood with no healthy stress outlet.  I felt like fitness wasn't a priority and even though I wanted to lose weight and change my body, I had no ideas and no energy at that point to do it on my own at home. (Sound familiar?)  I had a pedometer and used it to walk the mall or the neighborhood, but didn't do any other exercise.  I figured hauling kids around the house had to count for something. A stressful day (every day!) was relieved by eating. It was like a reward. I didn't overeat in a sitting, but made poor food choices and routinely cleaned my kid's plates after my own.

In 2008, we joined the Y. Decided to try it out for a year.  I felt a little guilty putting the kids in the childcare, but was desperate to have exercise and a bit of time to myself.  I quickly found out that I needed this time!  Finally, I had a healthy way to deal with stress and also a way to meet other people and try new things. It was worth every penny. I didn't feel like I was drowning anymore.  My mood improved, my energy improved.  I added something to my identity. I didn't feel like "just mom" during that hour to myself, I felt like Kara- a person that was taking care of herself and in turn, doing my family a favor too.  One year turned into 4+ years and now fitness is my life.

You don't need to join a gym to save your life, but find fitness if you haven't already!

Tuesday

Balancing Act

Life is one big balancing act.  We juggle family, work, household projects, volunteering, social commitments, exercising, and anything else we get involved in.  This post isn't about that kind of balancing act, but literally about having physical balance: being able to stand on one leg without falling over or wobbling all over the place...being steady in unsteady situations.  Most people don't specifically work on balance.  You should, especially as you age-- you lose your balance and have a greater chance of falling!

Many people have weak ankles and knees and balance training can strengthen all of those muscles around those joints.  You can see a huge difference in your balance if you make a point of working on it even for a month.  You'll become steadier in your every day movements.  How do you balance train?  Create controlled unsteady situations in your workouts.  Stand on one foot while doing upper body work.  Stand on a BOSU. (The half-dome apparatus)  Single leg squats are also a fantastic balance and strength exercise.

I have a good story in regard to balance (or lack of it):  There are two guys at my gym that I see regularly.  They always work out together.  We happened to be performing single-arm dumbbell rows next to each other the other day.  They were anchored on a bench with one knee and one hand and a foot on the ground.  I, on the other hand, was doing it standing on one foot.  Same movement, but no anchor, just pure balance.  (We were basically rowing the same dumbbell weight!)  I challenged them to do the single leg stance like I was.  They were good sports and accepted the challenge with a small chuckle and a "my balance isn't so good..." comment. 

What happened?  It wasn't pretty.  Barely able to stand still on one leg, they teetered and tottered either trying not to drop the weight or rowing as fast as possible with poor form so they could finish the set and put their other foot down.  (In reality, there are other progressions between what they were doing with the bench and what I was doing on one foot.)  Honestly, I wasn't showing off, but wanted to show them that they should add balance training to their workouts.  I didn't laugh, but I pointed out that you can be the strongest person in the world and have poor balance.

Diversify your fitness routine and find your balance.

Sunday

A Proud Coach

One of my clients has been working with me for a month and I am SO proud of her!!  She has done all of the work that I asked her to do and her reward is RESULTS!  Here is a testimonial that she wrote up for me to use in my business:

"You lost 3% body fat and 5 inches off your body this past month!!" This is the good news I received from my personal trainer after just one month of working out. If you ever had your doubts, let me reassure you, a personal trainer is the way to go, and Kara Short is top-notch. She can create a personalized workout for you that will change and challenge every month. This way you don't get bored or overworked. The encouragement and accountability partner aspects of working with a fitness coach like Kara are worth every penny. If you are struggling to find your way and desire more focus and support, I recommend that you contact Kara."   -Jenny Bruenger

It just goes to show that if you put in the effort and hard work that it takes to change your body, it will change!  And YOU will change your life!  Keep up the good work, Jenny!
"You lost 3% body fat and 5 inches off your body this past month!!" This is the good news I received from my personal trainer after just one month of working out. If you ever had your doubts, let me reassure you, a personal trainer is the way to go, and Kara Short is top-notch. She can create a personalized workout for you that will change and challenge every month. This way you don't get bored or overworked. The encouragement and accountability partner aspects of working with a fitness coach like Kara are worth every penny. If you are struggling to find your way and desire more focus and support, I recommend that you contact Kara. -Jenny Bruenger
"You lost 3% body fat and 5 inches off your body this past month!!" This is the good news I received from my personal trainer after just one month of working out. If you ever had your doubts, let me reassure you, a personal trainer is the way to go, and Kara Short is top-notch. She can create a personalized workout for you that will change and challenge every month. This way you don't get bored or overworked. The encouragement and accountability partner aspects of working with a fitness coach like Kara are worth every penny. If you are struggling to find your way and desire more focus and support, I recommend that you contact Kara. -Jenny Bruenger
"You lost 3% body fat and 5 inches off your body this past month!!" This is the good news I received from my personal trainer after just one month of working out. If you ever had your doubts, let me reassure you, a personal trainer is the way to go, and Kara Short is top-notch. She can create a personalized workout for you that will change and challenge every month. This way you don't get bored or overworked. The encouragement and accountability partner aspects of working with a fitness coach like Kara are worth every penny. If you are struggling to find your way and desire more focus and support, I recommend that you contact Kara. -Jenny Bruenger

Friday

Recipe Box

I now have a FIT recipe box blog page that you can access on the sidebar of this blog.  Simply click on FIT's recipe box and you will go to my other page.  I will post healthy, yummy recipes of snacks and meals on that page periodically.  If you have a recipe to share, let me know!  The blog page address for the recipes is www.fitrecipebox.blogspot.com.  I can't wait to share some of my favorite things to eat!  Also, when you try the recipes at your house, let me know what you thought of them!  I always welcome feedback.