When life knocks you down, what's your response? Do you stay down for a bit, pondering the meaning of being knocked, before you pick yourself up? Do you stay down till someone else picks you up? Do you jump back up and hope nobody saw you down?
Whatever your method, take a minute to think about why and how you respond to challenges. What makes it worth it for you to get back up when you're down?
When I did my dissertation I asked women what makes them place a high priority on their health---why do they make healthy choices and sustain them over time?
They answered in all different ways---some people wanted to set good examples for their kids. Some wanted to avoid disease, or it was about fear of disease. Others had just always done things that way.
Some people had faced a crisis, hit the bottom of the barrel, swirled around there for a bit, and then realized their only way to survive was to take care of themselves.
I want you to think about why health issues, and other choices you face, warrant improving and stepping up to the plate. Why be positive? Why fix your problems and face your issues? You could probably exist by choosing the less noble, healthy, or proactive way.
A common thread for all decisions in health (and generally in life) is that although the WHAT impacts the outcome, the WHY and the HOW are the most important factors--they are what make you who you are and they create meaning in your life.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Progress
"The steps are slow but they are noticeable, which is all that matters. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives and we are going to meet our goal. Time does not matter, only progress." --Roxann
www.just4jeff.info
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Pep Talk
In the last week, I've felt like my job is less about coaching and more just to give pep talks. I'm not sure if it's the time of year, the weather, the astrological aligning (or unaligning) of stars and planets....but dang, you guys are grasping for motivation to keep on working toward your goals.
Regardless of the reason, pep talks are good! I have friends and relatives who call me for them---I put on my pep talk hat, dish out a little motivation, a little tough love, and some encouragement....and we don't usually hang up with them feeling any worse :)
I have my list of go-to people to call for a boost too.
What do you do to get your motivation back when it is slipping away?
One person I talked to finds something inspirational to read or watch---this is a great idea. Read something that demonstrates how a person faced an obstacle and overcame it.
Check out this story about Dick and Rick Hoyt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI&feature=related
Regardless of the reason, pep talks are good! I have friends and relatives who call me for them---I put on my pep talk hat, dish out a little motivation, a little tough love, and some encouragement....and we don't usually hang up with them feeling any worse :)
I have my list of go-to people to call for a boost too.
What do you do to get your motivation back when it is slipping away?
One person I talked to finds something inspirational to read or watch---this is a great idea. Read something that demonstrates how a person faced an obstacle and overcame it.
Check out this story about Dick and Rick Hoyt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flRvsO8m_KI&feature=related
Thursday, May 7, 2009
A p.s. on the SPF
Guide to sunscreen use:
1. Look for labels that say "broad spectrum" or UVA and UVB protection. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are good ingredients for sun protection (Of course, I like the natural brands without all those weird ingredients and parabens and junk---but zinc oxide seems ok for now).
2. Wear at least SPF 15 anyday you will be outside for more than 20 minutes (even on non-sunny days because up to 80 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds).
3. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before you go outside and re-apply every 2 hours (even at SPF 60--it starts to breakdown when exposed to rays).
4. Use a shot glass size amount of sunscreen for each application and cover all exposed skin--even the tops of ears and tips of toes---consider wearing a hat to protect your scalp!
5. Re-apply waterproof sunscreen when you get out of the water---it's not really waterproof, just resistant and it leaves uneven protection after you've gotten it wet.
6. Sunscreen has a pretty stable shelf life, but doesn't last more than 3 years (or the exp date, whichever is first)---and will not last as long if you leave it in the car or other extreme temperature exposures. If it separates, changes color, or smells weird, junk it.
Please note: This information is for adults. Children and sunscreen are a whole different story...
http://www.healthychild.com/first-aid/sunburn-prevention-are-sunscreens-safe/
1. Look for labels that say "broad spectrum" or UVA and UVB protection. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are good ingredients for sun protection (Of course, I like the natural brands without all those weird ingredients and parabens and junk---but zinc oxide seems ok for now).
2. Wear at least SPF 15 anyday you will be outside for more than 20 minutes (even on non-sunny days because up to 80 percent of UV rays can penetrate clouds).
3. Apply sunscreen 15 minutes before you go outside and re-apply every 2 hours (even at SPF 60--it starts to breakdown when exposed to rays).
4. Use a shot glass size amount of sunscreen for each application and cover all exposed skin--even the tops of ears and tips of toes---consider wearing a hat to protect your scalp!
5. Re-apply waterproof sunscreen when you get out of the water---it's not really waterproof, just resistant and it leaves uneven protection after you've gotten it wet.
6. Sunscreen has a pretty stable shelf life, but doesn't last more than 3 years (or the exp date, whichever is first)---and will not last as long if you leave it in the car or other extreme temperature exposures. If it separates, changes color, or smells weird, junk it.
Please note: This information is for adults. Children and sunscreen are a whole different story...
http://www.healthychild.com/first-aid/sunburn-prevention-are-sunscreens-safe/
Chuck the Guidelines
I often get questions regarding what I think a person's goal should be for weight loss. It's such an interesting question---and I can't answer it. I mean, I could, but I don't think it would be a responsible thing for me to do. Most people know the old height weight charts are pretty useless, but people are still grasping for some kind of guideline.
We also mostly know that what we do and how we live are more important than pounds on the scale, but it's difficult to change our way of thinking about it. We know that skinny people can be unhealthy and being overweight doesn't always indicate a poor health status either. There are many reasons for losing weight, and just as we all have different reasons, we also all have different needs and appropriate goal weights. I enjoy working with people on figuring these things out for themselves.
Recently, I was discussing weight with someone who is pretty slim. She has a goal to lose a couple pounds, and people really give her a hard time for this goal. They tell her she is small enough and they treat her like she's crazy for having this goal. My opinion is that if you're living in a healthy way and you can reach a lower weight---and you want to---then you should. If you're happy and healthy where you are, then just be there.
Sometimes people who are overweight indicate that I don't understand anything about what they go through because I'm not and have never been overweight. In some ways, they are right. But please don't assume that a thin person does not work at being thin, just as you surely wouldn't assume a heavier person doesn't put effort into improving their health or losing weight.
We are all different.
A little bit crazy all in our own ways.
We weigh what we weigh today---we live how we live. We can work to improve ourselves, and this can be a negative or positive experience. I vote for the positive, non-judgmental, experimental, fun way of it all.
Be who you are and say what you feel; Those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter.
Just as you refrain from judging a person, their appearance, their lifestyle---don't judge yourself either. Improve yourself because you care about yourself and your well-being. If you have other reasons, then let's just work on that :)
And remember, what anybody else thinks about you is none of your business!
We also mostly know that what we do and how we live are more important than pounds on the scale, but it's difficult to change our way of thinking about it. We know that skinny people can be unhealthy and being overweight doesn't always indicate a poor health status either. There are many reasons for losing weight, and just as we all have different reasons, we also all have different needs and appropriate goal weights. I enjoy working with people on figuring these things out for themselves.
Recently, I was discussing weight with someone who is pretty slim. She has a goal to lose a couple pounds, and people really give her a hard time for this goal. They tell her she is small enough and they treat her like she's crazy for having this goal. My opinion is that if you're living in a healthy way and you can reach a lower weight---and you want to---then you should. If you're happy and healthy where you are, then just be there.
Sometimes people who are overweight indicate that I don't understand anything about what they go through because I'm not and have never been overweight. In some ways, they are right. But please don't assume that a thin person does not work at being thin, just as you surely wouldn't assume a heavier person doesn't put effort into improving their health or losing weight.
We are all different.
A little bit crazy all in our own ways.
We weigh what we weigh today---we live how we live. We can work to improve ourselves, and this can be a negative or positive experience. I vote for the positive, non-judgmental, experimental, fun way of it all.
Be who you are and say what you feel; Those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter.
Just as you refrain from judging a person, their appearance, their lifestyle---don't judge yourself either. Improve yourself because you care about yourself and your well-being. If you have other reasons, then let's just work on that :)
And remember, what anybody else thinks about you is none of your business!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Baz Was Right
Remember that Baz Luhrmann song that came out several years ago----called Sunscreen? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI
He was so right about that. Sunscreen is more important than we give it credit for---"we" being the lucky ones who live in this Rochester climate.
I was reading an article in Cosmo the other day (yes, there was an actual article tucked in with all those advertisements!), and it talked about sun exposure and long-term consequences. In places like Florida and California, people are almost obsessed with protecting their skin. They wouldn't dream of going outside without sunscreen and/or a hat. We, in the northeast, think differently. Since we live in the dim dingy darkness for most of the year, when the sun comes out we rationalize not protecting our skin because we have been so good and unexposed for the majority of the year!
We go out with no protection, and in fact, we love to have the sun beating down on our unprotected skin. When we were younger, we may even have baked ourselves to a bubbly crisp a few times or done things like use baby oil to get a better tan/burn. The article I read said that people doing this type of thing are actually putting themselves at higher risk for skin cancer than those who live in a sunny climate and have a moderate tan (a tan provides about SPF 12). Although this tan/SPF does not mean there is no underlying damage to the skin.
I recently went to a medical spa to check out what types of things they offer, and one of the things they do is assess the skin using a special camera. It rates your skin on many different categories, one of them being sun damage. The woman told me that how someone's skin looks is not necessarily the best indicator of what is going on underneath or what damage is there. However, the younger you are when you start caring appropriately for your skin, the better off you will be.
Do you wear sunscreen? Sometimes women have it a little easier in this category (is that possible?) because we can buy makeup and skin care products that have SPF 15 or so------It's not that men don't have the option in moisturizers, it's just less likely for men to use them. If you haven't, you should try :)
Here's a lesson on SPF:
Sun Protection Factor tells you how long you can stay in the sun. So an SPF 15 means you can stay in the sun for 15 minutes longer than with bare skin before you begin to get burned. SPF 50 means 50 minutes, etc. As we know, everyone is different, and this means the translation is not 100%---you may be able to tolerate a few minutes more than the person next to you.
The point is, don't mess around with the sun! When you're 40, 50, 60, 70, etc...you will be thankful if you cared well for your skin throughout your life....and it's never too late to start.
He was so right about that. Sunscreen is more important than we give it credit for---"we" being the lucky ones who live in this Rochester climate.
I was reading an article in Cosmo the other day (yes, there was an actual article tucked in with all those advertisements!), and it talked about sun exposure and long-term consequences. In places like Florida and California, people are almost obsessed with protecting their skin. They wouldn't dream of going outside without sunscreen and/or a hat. We, in the northeast, think differently. Since we live in the dim dingy darkness for most of the year, when the sun comes out we rationalize not protecting our skin because we have been so good and unexposed for the majority of the year!
We go out with no protection, and in fact, we love to have the sun beating down on our unprotected skin. When we were younger, we may even have baked ourselves to a bubbly crisp a few times or done things like use baby oil to get a better tan/burn. The article I read said that people doing this type of thing are actually putting themselves at higher risk for skin cancer than those who live in a sunny climate and have a moderate tan (a tan provides about SPF 12). Although this tan/SPF does not mean there is no underlying damage to the skin.
I recently went to a medical spa to check out what types of things they offer, and one of the things they do is assess the skin using a special camera. It rates your skin on many different categories, one of them being sun damage. The woman told me that how someone's skin looks is not necessarily the best indicator of what is going on underneath or what damage is there. However, the younger you are when you start caring appropriately for your skin, the better off you will be.
Do you wear sunscreen? Sometimes women have it a little easier in this category (is that possible?) because we can buy makeup and skin care products that have SPF 15 or so------It's not that men don't have the option in moisturizers, it's just less likely for men to use them. If you haven't, you should try :)
Here's a lesson on SPF:
Sun Protection Factor tells you how long you can stay in the sun. So an SPF 15 means you can stay in the sun for 15 minutes longer than with bare skin before you begin to get burned. SPF 50 means 50 minutes, etc. As we know, everyone is different, and this means the translation is not 100%---you may be able to tolerate a few minutes more than the person next to you.
The point is, don't mess around with the sun! When you're 40, 50, 60, 70, etc...you will be thankful if you cared well for your skin throughout your life....and it's never too late to start.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Getting to Santa Monica on the 405
I was talking to my cousin yesterday---and I love her, but she is extremely dramatic. I used to say I lived vicariously through her...now I get tired just by listening to stories about her life. She always has goals. She is a very driven and motivated individual, and she always follows through on her plans. She once went to Thailand and Cambodia for Christmas vacation...she has backpacked through Italy by herself, and recently went to Alaska for fun. Not that Alaska can't be fun, but it's just so cold.
Anyway, she works in the entertainment industry, which is very fast-paced, and she knows a lot of people. Something she said to me yesterday not only made a lot of sense for her in her life and escapades, but I thought it could also make a lot of sense to everyone.
She spoke with someone about her recent life lessons and actions, and when it came down to talking about what she wanted and how she has actually been living.... the person said to her---Kristen, you're trying to get to Santa Monica on the 405..... but the 405 doesn't go to Santa Monica---you have to take the 10.
It was a revelation for her (but yet, she knew it all along). How often does that happen to you? I see it a lot---people tell me that it's not that they didn't know what they should/need to do, they just needed to hear it again or in a new way.
So, answer three questions:
1. What do you want for yourself (goal)?
2. Is what you're doing going to get you there?
3. If not, what will?
Anyway, she works in the entertainment industry, which is very fast-paced, and she knows a lot of people. Something she said to me yesterday not only made a lot of sense for her in her life and escapades, but I thought it could also make a lot of sense to everyone.
She spoke with someone about her recent life lessons and actions, and when it came down to talking about what she wanted and how she has actually been living.... the person said to her---Kristen, you're trying to get to Santa Monica on the 405..... but the 405 doesn't go to Santa Monica---you have to take the 10.
It was a revelation for her (but yet, she knew it all along). How often does that happen to you? I see it a lot---people tell me that it's not that they didn't know what they should/need to do, they just needed to hear it again or in a new way.
So, answer three questions:
1. What do you want for yourself (goal)?
2. Is what you're doing going to get you there?
3. If not, what will?
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