I am still in training for the Power Climb. It is February 24. You need to sign-up by February 15th. Or you can contribute to my fundraising for the American Lung Association HERE.
I joined the committee to help with the publicity for the event. Now I have ended up doing an interview for Juice magazine with Cara Hall. (She was kind enough to feature me on her blog yesterday, so check hers out now.)
Tomorrow their photo editor Art will be coming to Fitness World West to shoot my picture. It's not exactly what I expected, but it's appreciated because I will do anything for the cause.
So, please consider helping out. You can climb, volunteer or donate. The bonus for the ladies is: The teams of firefighters that are coming to compete for the traveling trophy. Nice. :)
Yours in fitness, Kate
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
SNOW!!!!!!!!!!
It's getting to be a recurring theme - it snows, I don't get to go to the gym. Urgh. I am going home now to do core - so I can move in some way today.
I know I am in Iowa, but this is ridiculous. And contrary to what the people who think they are funny believe - THIS is global warming.
All right, stepping off my soap box now for something workout related - calories burned by snow. (Based on a 150 pound person)
Shoveling snow by hand - 408 calories per hour
General ice skating - 476 calories per hour
Skiing downhill light effort - 340 calories per hour
Cross Country skiing light effort - 476 calories per hour
Sledding - 476 calories per hour
Snowshoeing - 544 calories per hour
All nice burns and if you work more than a little the calories go up substantially. IF you have time to go - which I don't. (yes, I would like cheese with that whine)
Yours in fitness, Kate
I know I am in Iowa, but this is ridiculous. And contrary to what the people who think they are funny believe - THIS is global warming.
All right, stepping off my soap box now for something workout related - calories burned by snow. (Based on a 150 pound person)
Shoveling snow by hand - 408 calories per hour
General ice skating - 476 calories per hour
Skiing downhill light effort - 340 calories per hour
Cross Country skiing light effort - 476 calories per hour
Sledding - 476 calories per hour
Snowshoeing - 544 calories per hour
All nice burns and if you work more than a little the calories go up substantially. IF you have time to go - which I don't. (yes, I would like cheese with that whine)
Yours in fitness, Kate
Monday, February 4, 2008
From the Beginning...
The tip today is - get support.
Family and friends are great. But you really need people who are where you are or have been. I highly suggest finding a free board to post on. I used Oprah.com for the first year.
Other people use Weight Watcher's. The in person is great and if it works for you, go for it. However, there is also something great about the anonymity that a board offers. You can be completely honest and no one knows it is you.
Also on boards where people have a similar amount of weight to lose, no will judge you for being that weight. If you start to successfully lose, they want to know how. And if you struggle, they are their for encouragement.
So, find a friend who doesn't know you, just the situation you are in.
Yours in health, Kate
Family and friends are great. But you really need people who are where you are or have been. I highly suggest finding a free board to post on. I used Oprah.com for the first year.
Other people use Weight Watcher's. The in person is great and if it works for you, go for it. However, there is also something great about the anonymity that a board offers. You can be completely honest and no one knows it is you.
Also on boards where people have a similar amount of weight to lose, no will judge you for being that weight. If you start to successfully lose, they want to know how. And if you struggle, they are their for encouragement.
So, find a friend who doesn't know you, just the situation you are in.
Yours in health, Kate
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Sunday Inspiration - 2/3/08
Here is today's story of inspiration. It is from my magazine of choice for fitness, Women's Health. Hope this sparks your interest in getting healthier.
Jill Schieran's story.
Yours in health, Kate
Jill Schieran's story.
Yours in health, Kate
Fitness Obsession?
I workout at Fitness World West every day. I love it. I love how I feel, the energy I get, the inches I lose, the muscle I gain.
More and more however I am getting the questions: When are you going to stop? Don't you think you have lost enough? How skinny do you plan to get? Don't you think you are a bit obsessed?
Answers: Stop? - Never, this is a lifestyle, not something I can do for a while and then I don't ever have to do it again. I want to be healthy for the rest of my life.
Lost enough? No, I have looked hard at my body composition and I still have excess fat. When I have completely addressed that, I will set a maintenance level.
Skinny? This is one of my favorites. I have recently been called "skinny bitch". I am a size 12 leaning toward a 10 and wear a large shirt. I am 5' 4" and weigh 149 pounds. I am the average American woman right now.
Obsessed? No. I am not. However, for the first time in my life I am engaged. I actively account for what goes into my body. I workout to keep myself energized, flexible and healthy.
That's really what it comes down to. I am the healthiest I have been since junior high. (That's a LONG time ago.) I want to continue to improve my health, get it to a point I am proud of and then maintain it until the day I die.
That last part, quite far away. I just had my physical - my doctor was thrilled! All of my tests came back near perfect. She is proud of me. I have been able to put the possibility of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other obesity related diseases back where they belong - in the back of the closet to collect dust and be forgotten.
I am proud too. I am proudly engaged in living my life to the fullest.
Yours in fitness, Kate
More and more however I am getting the questions: When are you going to stop? Don't you think you have lost enough? How skinny do you plan to get? Don't you think you are a bit obsessed?
Answers: Stop? - Never, this is a lifestyle, not something I can do for a while and then I don't ever have to do it again. I want to be healthy for the rest of my life.
Lost enough? No, I have looked hard at my body composition and I still have excess fat. When I have completely addressed that, I will set a maintenance level.
Skinny? This is one of my favorites. I have recently been called "skinny bitch". I am a size 12 leaning toward a 10 and wear a large shirt. I am 5' 4" and weigh 149 pounds. I am the average American woman right now.
Obsessed? No. I am not. However, for the first time in my life I am engaged. I actively account for what goes into my body. I workout to keep myself energized, flexible and healthy.
That's really what it comes down to. I am the healthiest I have been since junior high. (That's a LONG time ago.) I want to continue to improve my health, get it to a point I am proud of and then maintain it until the day I die.
That last part, quite far away. I just had my physical - my doctor was thrilled! All of my tests came back near perfect. She is proud of me. I have been able to put the possibility of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other obesity related diseases back where they belong - in the back of the closet to collect dust and be forgotten.
I am proud too. I am proudly engaged in living my life to the fullest.
Yours in fitness, Kate
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Inspired Back to Basics
My friend Lori who works at the front desk at my office (a.k.a. - guru/goddess of all that needs care) has started her own health and fitness journey. I am SO proud of her!
She has started eating better, is going to the gym and is even working with a trainer a couple of days a week. She is already seeing amazing results. She has been floored by the power of the basics - portion control, proper food choices and exercise.
And her swift progression reminded me that the basics are just that and they are for EVERYONE, not just beginners. That means me. I have lost sight of them.
I advocate them highly. I give advice from what I have learned. I even (though I try hard not to) preach on them.
Example - I always say 'anything in moderation'. Then I follow-up with the sage wisdom that brought me down 111 pounds so far (yes, I am back at 149) - just have a bite or two, not the whole thing. Mainly this pertains to sweets. This week I had 4 WHOLE cookies and a brownie. Not on the same day, but I did.
I shattered a basic rule and I regret it. It made me feel ashamed. And hypocritical. Like the vascular surgeon friend of mine who spends his day clearing clogged hearts and then has 3 hot dogs from Sam's Club for dinner and never exercises.
"Do as I say, not as I do", that has always irritated the hell out me when people take that attitude. Now, here I am saying, "try to control your sugar, it has no nutritional value and it suppresses your immune system", with a cookie in my hand.
I don't want to be that person, so I won't. I am reintroducing myself to the basics. The first step is to reset completely. So no treats for me today or tomorrow. (That one will be a killer, mom ALWAYS makes dessert on Sunday.)
On Monday I will return to the plan that got me here - keep my treat under 100 calories a day AND plan when I am going eat it. That way I have something to look forward to.
So, thank you Lori for the wake-up call and CONGRATULATIONS on the start of your journey.
Now I am going to the gym - No sugar at Fitness World West. ;)
Yours in health, Kate
She has started eating better, is going to the gym and is even working with a trainer a couple of days a week. She is already seeing amazing results. She has been floored by the power of the basics - portion control, proper food choices and exercise.
And her swift progression reminded me that the basics are just that and they are for EVERYONE, not just beginners. That means me. I have lost sight of them.
I advocate them highly. I give advice from what I have learned. I even (though I try hard not to) preach on them.
Example - I always say 'anything in moderation'. Then I follow-up with the sage wisdom that brought me down 111 pounds so far (yes, I am back at 149) - just have a bite or two, not the whole thing. Mainly this pertains to sweets. This week I had 4 WHOLE cookies and a brownie. Not on the same day, but I did.
I shattered a basic rule and I regret it. It made me feel ashamed. And hypocritical. Like the vascular surgeon friend of mine who spends his day clearing clogged hearts and then has 3 hot dogs from Sam's Club for dinner and never exercises.
"Do as I say, not as I do", that has always irritated the hell out me when people take that attitude. Now, here I am saying, "try to control your sugar, it has no nutritional value and it suppresses your immune system", with a cookie in my hand.
I don't want to be that person, so I won't. I am reintroducing myself to the basics. The first step is to reset completely. So no treats for me today or tomorrow. (That one will be a killer, mom ALWAYS makes dessert on Sunday.)
On Monday I will return to the plan that got me here - keep my treat under 100 calories a day AND plan when I am going eat it. That way I have something to look forward to.
So, thank you Lori for the wake-up call and CONGRATULATIONS on the start of your journey.
Now I am going to the gym - No sugar at Fitness World West. ;)
Yours in health, Kate
Friday, February 1, 2008
Super Bowl Food
I was listening to a story yesterday, on I forget what news source, about how Super Bowl Sunday has surpassed Thanksgiving as America's biggest "food" day. I didn't even have to think about it, they're right. The day of the big game has become an unofficial holiday in the U.S.
If you love football and I do, you will find yourself in front of a TV. If you don't have to go to bed at 7:30 (like I do) chances are that TV may be in the midst of a party or a bar. Either way, you will be staring down food demons that only come out once a year. I mean the amount of things that can suddenly be created with Velveeta is astounding.
So, I have two suggestions -
1. Make sure you workout that day, before the game. Getting physical will help curb your appetite somewhat. And remember, just because you expended a couple hundred calories through sweating, doesn't mean that justifies 15 hot wings - it doesn't.
2. Find healthy and tasty alternatives to your favorite snacks. Don't fall into that "it's only once a year" mentality and take a swan dive into the spinach-artichoke dip. We just got through the month and a half of that stuff and have started anew in January, don't blow it.
So, to that end, I have found a recipe from the American Heart Association (it's the beginning of Heart Month) that is a great stand-in for traditional hot-wings. Though you can find a number of other healthified favorites online.
Hot-Wing Chicken
Please note: "Real" hot-wings are breaded, fried and slathered in salt and sugar heavy flavorings. Basically that eliminates any of the good you can find in chicken. This recipe is a tasty and healthier alternative and while it doesn't address the rest of the stuff that makes it onto the table, it's a start.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons hot-pepper sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup cornflake crumbs (about 2 cups flakes)
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled
Directions
In a large shallow bowl, stir together the hot-pepper sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours, turning occasionally if longer than 30 minutes. Discard the marinade.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
Put the cornflake crumbs on a plate. Turn the chicken to coat both sides. Transfer to the baking pan. Lightly spray the top of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the coating is crisp. Transfer to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon the sauce over the chicken or use as a dipping sauce.
Tip
Hot-pepper sauce made from cayenne peppers (a bit milder) or Tabasco peppers works well. Let your heat tolerance be your guide.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving) Serves 4 – Serving size - 3 ounces chicken and 2 tablespoons sauce per serving
Calories 220; Total Fat 4.0 g; Saturated 1.0 g; Polyunsaturated 0.5 g; Monounsaturated 2.0 g; Cholesterol 69 mg; Sodium 250 mg; Carbohydrates 16 g; Dietary Fiber 1 g; Sugars 3 g; Protein 29 g
Have fun and remember, you are not at the training table to be a 300 pound lineman, YOU are attempting to "Get Healthy".
Yours in health, Kate
If you love football and I do, you will find yourself in front of a TV. If you don't have to go to bed at 7:30 (like I do) chances are that TV may be in the midst of a party or a bar. Either way, you will be staring down food demons that only come out once a year. I mean the amount of things that can suddenly be created with Velveeta is astounding.
So, I have two suggestions -
1. Make sure you workout that day, before the game. Getting physical will help curb your appetite somewhat. And remember, just because you expended a couple hundred calories through sweating, doesn't mean that justifies 15 hot wings - it doesn't.
2. Find healthy and tasty alternatives to your favorite snacks. Don't fall into that "it's only once a year" mentality and take a swan dive into the spinach-artichoke dip. We just got through the month and a half of that stuff and have started anew in January, don't blow it.
So, to that end, I have found a recipe from the American Heart Association (it's the beginning of Heart Month) that is a great stand-in for traditional hot-wings. Though you can find a number of other healthified favorites online.
Hot-Wing Chicken
Please note: "Real" hot-wings are breaded, fried and slathered in salt and sugar heavy flavorings. Basically that eliminates any of the good you can find in chicken. This recipe is a tasty and healthier alternative and while it doesn't address the rest of the stuff that makes it onto the table, it's a start.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons hot-pepper sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup cornflake crumbs (about 2 cups flakes)
1/4 cup fat-free or light sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled
Directions
In a large shallow bowl, stir together the hot-pepper sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours, turning occasionally if longer than 30 minutes. Discard the marinade.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
Put the cornflake crumbs on a plate. Turn the chicken to coat both sides. Transfer to the baking pan. Lightly spray the top of the chicken with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the coating is crisp. Transfer to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon the sauce over the chicken or use as a dipping sauce.
Tip
Hot-pepper sauce made from cayenne peppers (a bit milder) or Tabasco peppers works well. Let your heat tolerance be your guide.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving) Serves 4 – Serving size - 3 ounces chicken and 2 tablespoons sauce per serving
Calories 220; Total Fat 4.0 g; Saturated 1.0 g; Polyunsaturated 0.5 g; Monounsaturated 2.0 g; Cholesterol 69 mg; Sodium 250 mg; Carbohydrates 16 g; Dietary Fiber 1 g; Sugars 3 g; Protein 29 g
Have fun and remember, you are not at the training table to be a 300 pound lineman, YOU are attempting to "Get Healthy".
Yours in health, Kate
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