Quit Your Cravings

by Kris Pitcher

It's all you can think about. You get it stuck in your head and you want it. I mean you want it bad! You will go to the ends of the earth to get a fix...it's a CRAVING! And it is driving you crazy.

Not only is it driving you crazy, but it's also derailing your progress. You can quit your cravings by doing something really quite simple.

Cravings are really about filling needs. Yes, you're a big, deep, dark, empty hole. You are craving things to fill yourself up. But, you might be surprised to find out it may not be the thing you're craving that you really need.

We have to start by finding out what we really want. Let's say every evening you crave ice cream, or chips or what ever your thing is. The behavior now is to give in and have the ice cream because that's what we think we want. And that's easy.

What if we tried something different? Maybe what we really want is time to unwind, or time with a loved one. Maybe we need time to de-stress or time to be social. The point is, our craving is usually for something we are not getting, but something we need.

We can test our needs. One evening, try spending some quality time with your family. Still want ice cream? OK, maybe we need something else. Try some de-stress time by doing something you enjoy. Try working in your garden, or on a project, or reading, or taking a bath, or painting your toes...something for you.

Still not it? The next evening we try something else. Take the dog for a walk, call your friend, massage your feet and hands. Find your emotional fix. The idea is we need to feed our cravings for emotional fulfillment.

OK, you're not just a big, deep, dark, empty hole to be filled with ice cream. When we have our head wrapped around intense food cravings, we are missing something within our emotional needs. It can be as simple as relaxing in a different way. It takes practice and work...but you are worth it! Quit your cravings!

For Mother's Day

by Kris Pitcher

Happy day to my Mom
She is fit and she is strong.

To the gym she loves to go
Ask her, and she'll tell you so.

Nana loves the weights
She can press mighty heavy
There's no stopping her,
It's like opening a levy!

Bath Crashers she'll watch knocking cardio out
Keeping arthritis at bay, and inches away
On face book she'll post, "Had a great work out today!"

Cheers to you Mom
Full of sweat and perspiration,
Your strength and your courage
Make you a true inspiration!

*Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms!

Eating Pine Cones

by Kris Pitcher

"Don't be mad." Jacques said putting his calipers to my skin. I had decided it was time, I needed to know where I was in terms of my body composition.

He wrote down the numbers for the various sites and handed me the slip of paper. I grabbed the calculator and the chart...and held my breath.

It was less than I though. I calculated how much lean body mass I had and I smiled, more than last year. It worked! Eating pine cones all winter worked!

Well, I didn't exactly eat pine cones. But I stayed on point all winter, or off season, as I trained to gain muscle. I worked hard to stay leaner this year. And it worked!

I'm starting my contest prep in a leaner place than last year. But the kicker? I'm not as fat as I thought I was. Sometimes knowing your numbers gives you the perspective you need. Whichever direction.

Whether you're too far on one side, or not as far as you think - just knowing the number gives you the perspective you need to move ahead in your plan in the right mind-set.

I joked that I'd been hunkered down "eating pine cones" which meant I was on a fairly strict off season plan. It's what I needed to do in order to keep my body under a certain percentage. So, instead of starting my dieting process at 20.5% like last year, I'm starting at 18.5%.

Being able to stay just 2% leaner over the off season helped me gain a little bit more muscle. Which is hard for us ladies to do. Don't be mad...ha! In the big picture each prep cycle makes me a better athlete because of what I'm able to do in the off season.

Sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees as you move along your journey. Just don't forget to stop along the way and eat your pine cones.

Popcorn Vs Broccoli

by Kris Pitcher

Popcorn goes head to head with broccoli when it comes to a fiber packing punch. But that's not all popcorn has going for it. The problem is, we completely wreck it.

Popcorn also contains polyphenols which have an antioxidant effect. There is a catch though...air popped is the only way to go. Sorry movie goers, no $12 large popcorn at the show.

In 5 cups of air popped corn you will get 155 calories; 5 gm protein; 5 gm fiber; 30 gm of carbs and a belly full of crunch. You're also getting B vitamins, E, K & vitamin A, as well as manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, potassium & copper.

As far as a healthy snack goes popcorn is a great choice if you prepare it right. And really, couldn't you feel satisfied with 2.5 cups? That's a pretty big bowl.

The next time you want to enjoy a crunchy snack think about popcorn - the healthy way. Don't smother it with stuff, or spray a bunch of fake butter on it...all that ruins the benefit. Enjoy the slightly sweet taste of the actual corn.

You'll get a great dose of fiber as well as vitamins and minerals as you fill your crunch factor...now where is that air popper?

What Is Your SLASH?

by Kris Pitcher

I met an interesting guy last week who said his girlfriend is a psychotherapist-slash-singer. And I thought...what's your slash?

Everyone should have a slash. We identify with our jobs primarily in this country. For better, or for worse. And at the expense of the corporate ladder many have lost their slash.

I'm a chief development officer, slash, blogger, slash, physique competitor, slash, wife, slash, part time contest prep coach, slash, NPC judge, slash, daughter/sister, slash...I have a lot of slashes. Those are just some of my slashes.

Really. What is your slash? Did you used to have a slash, but you've let it go? Would you like to pursue your slash? I think we'd be a little better balanced if we thought a lot more about our slash.

There is nothing wrong with identifying with our job, I just think we are more than that. We are more creative, we have more to offer, we are more dynamic and complex. We should celebrate our slash!

Give yourself the freedom, the permission, to explore your slash. Try a few out, and see what you like. Or maybe you already have a slash that you aren't sharing, you aren't capitalizing on, or you aren't bragging about. Share your slash.

Our slashes make this world a remarkable place, a place that's fun and creative. It's what makes us each so special. What is your slash?

Canned by Coke

by Kris Pitcher

Last week while I was traveling, I did what I always do. I weighed, bagged, froze and traveled with all my food for three and a half days. It all fit snug as a bug in my carry on soft sided cooler.

But by day three of wonderfully long and productive meetings, I decided to enjoy a soda at our after noon break out session. So, I looked at the big bowl of ice with cans of Coke in it and picked one.

Some cans were red, I know those ones, and others were white. Great, I thought, I'll enjoy a diet Coke! I went into my break out group to discuss a scenario and half way through my can I got this horrible feeling.

I turned the can around and almost slammed it on the table. A bad word came out of my business mouth under my breath. "This is a regular Coke!" I exclaimed.

"Is that bad?" Questioned one of my colleagues. Um, yeah I though...high fructose corn syrup is pretty much bad for anyone! They had seen me eating chicken and broccoli every two or three hours for three days and some of them had even clued in that I was on some sort of eating plan.

"Here, take these vitamin B drops, they'll counter act the sugar." Said one of our speakers. Hmm? Did he really believe that? I took the drops so he'd feel better for me. But that half a can of regular Coke would not be counter acted by all the vitamin B in the world.

I'm not sure why Coke can't just be in one color can. Red. Do they have to make it in a white can, that oddly looks like diet? Fooled me. But it was my own fault. I shouldn't be drinking that anyway. Lesson learned.

It was off to the gym after our session ended at 5:00 PM. A good lift in and an extra 25 minutes of cardio, which did counter act that half a can of regular Coke. Sorry for the bad word, and I'll watch my cans.

Find Happy

by Kris Pitcher

You might just be your own worst enemy when it comes to finding happiness. If you've been waiting for it to happen to you...you could wait a long time.

One important factor in finding happiness is shifting your focus. It's time to stop thinking about yourself. Shifting the focus from yours truly to others in your life helps find perspective, and happiness.

If happy people just make you mad, you're focusing on the negative. Happy people focus on the positive, their cup is half full. Finding that perspective takes practice and effort. It's up to you to see the good in life.

Sometimes we're unhappy because we're just plain bored. If you are stuck in a rut it's time to try something new. Nurturing newness can give you renewed energy. Even as little as shifting your schedule or the way you do things can be new enough to help you unleash that boredom.

Happiness doesn't happen to you, you create it. It's in the way you choose to focus on the world, and it's in how you decide to see it. Is you're cup half full?

Get out of your rut and try something new, spark some energy in your life and see if it doesn't just make you a little bit happy. Stop waiting for something you have the power to do yourself. Go find happy!