Happy New You!

By Kris Pitcher

How will you focus on the things that are important to you this year? How will you begin to put the pieces together and align what's important to you? It's pretty simple, as I've said before. Let's look at a few things to ring in the new you!

New You!

What is important to you? Defining your values is the beginning to any journey in life. If you have plans to make it a healthier year, this is where you start. Get out a pen and paper and scribble some things down. There is no wrong answer...and there is no test.

If you are able to define your top five things, the next question is: Why is that important to you? If you told me it's important to you to be healthy and fit and I asked you why, what would you say? Is it important so you can play with your kids? Do your job? Enjoy your hobbies on the weekends?

Why is it important? Is it so you are taken seriously in the board room? Is it so you age more gracefully? Is it to balance out your hormones? No wrong answers.

Taking time to figure out what you value and why those things are important to you is critical to mapping out a plan you'll be successful at. For example, it's important for me to get adequate rest. That is important to me for recovery from exercise, for migraine management, and for my mental health.

Next, we think about what will we do to create good habits around that "value". For me, I will create and stick to a bed time that most 5th graders would thumb their nose at. I'll be in bed by 8:30 pm. Why on earth would I do this when prime time TV isn't even on air yet! Because I value it.

The alarm rings at 4:30 am and I've gotten my eight hours of sleep for adequate recovery from my workouts, enough to manage my migraines and enough that I'm not crying in the corner from feeling too tired.

So, once you know what's important to you, why it is important, and what you will do to create a situation where you can make that happen...you are already achieving your goals. You don't even have to work at it. You're just doing it. Because it's important to you.

This is how you create your happy new you this year. It works when you do the work by asking yourself the hard questions. It works because you gain clarity about what is important to you and why. Go ahead, have an "a ha!" moment. Happy New You!

Resolved!

by Kris Pitcher

I know you're thinking about those resolutions. It's no secret I'm not a fan. What did you resolve to do last year? I'm wondering how that went...

This past year, I didn't get more organized. I didn't read more books. I didn't spend more time doing artsy-craftsy things...I on the other hand, didn't resolve to do any of those things. But if you must, there are a few things which can set you up for success.

Swap it. If you plan to give something up, swap that habit out for something else. Just plain giving up a habit is really difficult. You need to replace it. If you resolve to give up diet sodas (for example) decide what you'll swap it out with. Maybe lemon water would be a good replacement, or herbal tea. You get the idea.

Start now. There is nothing magical about January 1st. You can begin to make changes now. Giving yourself a head start takes some of the social pressure off of the "New Year's Resolution".

Take your time. Incorporating change takes time. Establishing a new habit takes several weeks. Give yourself plenty of time to be committed to your new goal. If you plan to exercise, make a plan to stick with it for longer than a week...

Be specific. Setting goals for the new year need to be specific in order to be measurable and therefore successful. If you say you'll "lose weight" that's pretty vague. But if you say you will eat a specific plan and exercise 4 days a week...that's specific. You'll be successful, because you can measure your progress.

Small bites. Pick one thing to work on. It's not a good idea to go making several major life changes on resolution. Beginning an exercise program while quitting smoking, taking up French lessons and saving the world might be a little too much to handle all at once. Pick one thing to focus on.

You don't have to resolve in January. There's nothing special about January. If there's something you want to work on, work on it in February, or March. Making changes can happen at any time. Not just in January.

There's a lot of hype, and disappointment around resolutions. We set ourselves up to fail, and then we feel bad about that. Do amazing things this year, start now, make changes, focus on your goals...be awesome. You don't need a resolution for that.

Quit Skipping

by Kris Pitcher

Now is a good time to talk about skipping meals. You just had a BIG one...and I know what you're thinking. You'll skip eating until next week. Silly, but I know it went through your head.

You thought since you over did it so thoroughly with your holiday meal you might as well just skip breakfast. Guess what? Wrong! It's time to grow out of skipping meals.

Skipping meals is the last thing you want to do. In fact, my rule when I know I'm going to have extras is: Eat everything I am supposed to eat. That's right, every meal. The extras go on top of those. On top.

The big holiday meal? Yes indeed! We all indulged. But guess what? I ate right before and will keep on eating. Why? Because I need to eat everything I am supposed to eat. First. My body is used to it. I've trained it. Why on earth would I send it a different message?

And why on earth would I stop fueling it? Skipping meals tells our body, "Hey, we're not going to get consistent fuel here...so, let's hold on to everything that does come in." "We're shutting down, systems on low...metabolism drop to the basement!"

No sir! We want to crank our metabolism up. Give ourselves some extra fuel. It'll do us some good. And keeping on track with our meals means we'll indulge in a little less than if we fasted leading up to the big dinner.

Get on track and eat your normal meals. Quit skipping out and sending the wrong messages. Give yourself the nutrition your body is counting on by eating to your plan. Get to it! No skipping!

Spiced Nuts!

by Kris Pitcher

I'm always looking for something halfway nutritious to take to parties, as hostess gifts, or to the potluck at work. Spiced nuts fits the bill, and they are super easy to make.

• 1 pound almonds & walnuts mixed
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1/2 T coarse salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts on baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl. Transfer nuts to large bowl, add oil mixing to coat completely. Add spice mixture and mix. Done! Serve warm or let cool.

You can eliminate the sugar if you want to, or experiment with different spices and herbs. There are no rules here. Go nuts!

Situation Winter Vacation

by Kris Pitcher

I had settled in to my winter ways when all of a sudden...I had a startle! It's common practice to pull on the tights, big woolly socks, and bundle right up when you live in a cold place.

Winter showers are quick when time spent in hot water dries your skin out that much more. You tend to make speedy work of the necessities while you're in there. There's no time for "extras". But when the sun comes out on those brisk days...it doesn't just expose the dust in my house...

Was that a spider on my leg just now?! OMG! My mind began to race as I thought back. When was the last time I shaved my legs? Now, thank goodness I'm fair skinned, light haired and not too prickly. We've got a situation!

I've got a project on my hands. I'm going on VACATION!!! I need to get a handle on this! It's one thing to show up in a tropical place so pale your vascular system is showing, but to add this on top is just unacceptable. Even I know that.

How do we get to this place? That's the question. What happens that we don't have five minutes in the morning to keep up on this stuff? How do the weekends slip by with not an hour to have a little spa time?

Those are the big questions. And I'll have plenty of time to contemplate those questions (and others) as I work on my leg shaving project in preparation to go on winter vacation. These are the kinds of things resolutions are made of.

You might as well get a jump on them now. Get your projects going. Give yourself a little extra time and focus. Why wait until the new year? There's nothing special about that time. Then, ask yourself the big questions: How did I let this one go? How will I make time for what's important to me?

Figure out what "situations" in your life you need to get a handle on. What steps can you begin to take right now to get them in order? I'd like to stay and help you figure it out. But I've got wax heating, fresh blades waiting, the heater is going in the bathroom...and I swear a spider just ran down my knee!

Have What You Want

by Kris Pitcher

We've had a "No Gift" policy in our family for some time now. At first, I was hesitant to tell people about it. It seemed like people would think we didn't have any holiday spirit, and to be honest we get some strange reactions.

My husband and I don't exchange gifts. For any occasion. Never have. People think that's weird. But we've tried to make our lives about wanting what we have, not having what we want. As people talk about having all their holiday shopping done and ask us about ours...we smile and laugh and say we don't do any.

Blank. Stares. There's no stress, no debt, and no unwanted sweaters or ties. We don't have to spend hours at the packed shopping mall, or purchasing gift cards on line only to trade the same $50 back and forth each year.

The stuff doesn't matter. What matters is spending time with family. What matters are the small traditions we carry out each year. What matters is wanting what you have in your life. I look around our very modest home and see clutter. Stuff we've moved from place to place. Things we've collected.

Even the limited amount of "things" we do have seems like too much. Why add to it? It's the notion of wanting and chasing happiness by adding stuff to your life. Stuff which isn't going to make you happy.

What makes me happy is feeling grateful for the abundance in my life. For the future we're creating, and for the imprint we're making. I'm happy to receive a compliment when I wear something I've had for seven years...that I bought at a second hand store.

It's not about the stuff, it's about the content in your life and the happiness you project as a result. And while I'm glad we are a nation of consumers (it's great for my investments) I'm content in a "less is more" attitude and I am thankful for what I have.

As we enjoy the holiday season, slow down and do one less thing this year. Spend time with family instead of rushing around. Ask yourself if you're creating additional stress with the things you have to do. And ask yourself if you might already have what you want in your life. Begin by wanting what you have.

No Pain, No Gain...Really?

by Kris Pitcher

If you still subscribe to the "no pain, no gain" mentality you're either twenty-something, you've never been injured, or you just have no clue. Let's get one thing straight, pushing through the pain will get you one place fast - on the injured reserve.

Pain is a message. It is your body's way of telling you, "Hello! Something is wrong here!" We certainly have a warrior mentality where more is better, and it seems everyone is continually operating in "beast mode". Please poke me in the throat...

I get that we want to be tough. I get that we want to feel motivated. I understand some of us over do it on the weekends with recreation. But honestly, if you are a competitor, or a lifter of any kind, it's time to come back down to earth with the rest of us.

Joint or muscle pain is indicative of injury. I'm not referring to delayed onset muscle soreness caused by your workouts. That's a different issue. I'm talking about that lingering twinge in your shoulder when you bench. I'm referencing that knee pain after you leg press.

You get one set of joints and while they are replaceable...that's not a real good thing to be working toward. You are better off listening to your body, and dealing with issues when they come up. Often, you can rehab an overuse injury with some common sense.

That's actually the hard part. It requires lifting differently. It means you have to give up the big lifts for a while. You can't be chasing the numbers. And, it might mean leaving momentum and gravity behind for a while. (You don't need those anyway ;)

The point is, if you pay attention and catch that pain in time, you can rehab that shoulder, for instance, without going in for the cut. That should be your last resort. On the other hand if you just, "work through the pain" you'll be under the knife and out of the gym for a long time.

So, we can work ourselves into a frenzy with "beast" this, and "tough-guy" that...but in the end slow and steady wins most races. For all those super hard core lifters...more power to ya! I plan to keep myself under the weights, not the knife.