FIT or FAT?

FIT OR FAT?

Have you ever heard the saying, "If I had a nickle for every time I heard that!"?  Of course you have.  And I must say, for as long as I've been in the Health & Fitness Profession, I would be a wealthy woman for every time I've heard someone say, "Well I may be FAT but I'm FIT!"........  Someone said it straight to my face, looking straight into my eyes, three months ago and it's been driving me crazy ever since.  I couldn't believe my ears.                          Seriously?                Come On!

I believe that we live in a society that condones the combination of being overweight/obese and making it to the gym once or twice a week or not at all, which we know really doesn't cut it.  It's like starting over every time.  We really need to get our facts straight and be honest about the straight facts.  Research has shown you CANNOT BE FIT AND FAT.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that you can take control of that at any time;  whenever you decide you are ready - get back on the wagon - have more time - on Monday - when the kids are less busy - blah blah blah .....whatever lie of procrastination you want to tell yourself.  Your body will respond.  It just needs the opportunity.  And deciding what's important to YOU (not to anyone else!!) is vital.

Ok.  So let's take each word by itself.  First up, the word FIT.  What descriptors come to your mind when you hear the word FIT?  Perhaps "healthy," or "in shape."  How about "eats well," "vitamins," "low fat," "works out," "exercises," "running," "fitness," "strength training," "nice body," "vegetables and fruits," "non-smoker,..."  Your list could probably go on and on.  (Did your list include the words bitch, snob, over-achiever, asshole, cocky SOB?  Yes?  Ask yourself why.  It's statistically proven that there's a 50-50 split between "haters" of overweight/obese people and "haters" of FIT people.  Goes both ways.  But that's another blog.)  But you get the point.  According to my iPad Dictionary App, the word FIT means:  in good physical condition; in good health.  So this definition begs two questions:  What's the definition of being in "good physical condition?" and being in "good health?" 

So what is "good physical condition?"  My definition would sound something like this:  someone who engages in a healthy and mindful lifestyle.  To expound, one who exercises daily, including cardio and strength training, flexibility training, all at different intensities and duration and brain training.  Also, one who chooses heart-healthy food, low-fat meats and dairy products; doesn't go crazy with the alcohol and drinks lots of water.  To go further, someone who can climb a few flights of stairs without dying at the top; can walk around the block a couple times without falling over and one who can get up and chase their toddlers around and even picking them up over and over without having to sit down after 20 seconds.  My definition could go on and on and on......Strong heart; strong muscles; good lipids panel; good mood; good libido and, in general, a good level of energy and sense of wellbeing.

"Good health:"?  Same as the above definition.  I believe if you are in good physical condition, then your health will correspond, and visa-versa.  Olympic Champions don't make it to the Olympics because they are ONLY in good physical condition.  Our health is in direct correlation with our physical condition.  Our physical condition is in direct correlation with our health.  Makes sense, doesn't it?

Now, let's take the next word:  FAT.  Are you cringing?  It's not a dirty word.  It's not even a bad thing.  But, when we are talking about heart disease and clogged arteries, it's unhealthy - and I'll even go as far to say it's unsafe.  Our bodies can only take so much, people.  We know that there's good levels of fat that the body needs to function properly and then we also know that there is such a thing as too much fat in the body (higher than the BMI guidelines for both male and female).  When that line is crossed, we are REALLY putting ourselves at risk for some bad stuff to happen.

Have you heard of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?  It's caused by atherosclerosis which is the narrowing of the coronary arteries due to fatty build ups of plaque.  Here are (some of) the risk factors:

**Cigarette smoking
**Hypertention (high blood pressure)
**Sendentary lifestyle:  people who do not participate in a regular exercise program or meet the minimum physical activity recommendation of the US Surgeon General's report. (couch potato?)
**Obesity:  as defined in the national Body Mass Index (BMI)
**Family history
**Age:  risk of CAD increases greatly for men over 45 and women over 55

I'm going to stop right here.  You know where I'm going with this.  And now you know what I'm going to say:  Based on these definitions of FIT and FAT, how can anyone argue that they fit the profile and believe that they are truely BOTH?  And, moreover, according to Dr. David Agus, in his book The End of Illness, "research has shot down the concept that you can be both fat and fit.  Excess weight is thought to be so damaging...."  It's truely a path to self-destruction.  Who wants that?

So in the second paragraph of this blog, I mentioned overweight/obese people who went to the gym one or two times a week and people who just didn't exercise at all.  With your newfound knowledge, you have to ask yourself if you really are doing your body/health justice?  Does it measure up to minimum standard guideline for leading a healthy and engaging lifestyle?  We really do have to ask ourselves the tough questions.  If you have kids (I have 2), what is your "FIT or FAT" lifestyle teaching them?  All I ask is that you be honest with yourself.  No crap.  No lies.  Just the truth.  Perhaps your truth is painful -there are people that can help you.  But at some point, we have to stop making excuses, stop whining and get off of our butts and start living life - even if it means breaking a sweat and breathing heavy.

We only have one time around in this rodeo.  It truely is survival of the fittest.  Good luck!!

Hungry All The Time?

If you find that you are constantly hungry, and, as a result, you have gained weight from eating too much, consider this - you may NOT really be hungry - you may actually be thirsty.  As I was indulging, yet again, in Paul Chek's book, How To Eat, Move and Be Healthy,  he suggests a book by Dr. Batmanghelidj called Your Body's Many Cries For Water.  Dr. Batmanghelidj explains that hunger pangs are frequently a symptom of dehydration.  I have definately found this to be true from not only my own experience, but with over 90% of my clients.  When my clients feel hungry, before a time when they would normally eat, I ask them to drink some water - 16 ounces or so - and the hunger pangs will usually go away.  If you're not used to drinking water regularly, it's easy to get dehydrated and not even know it!

Did you know that drinking water actually gives you ENERGY!  Water aids in digestion, enzymatic actions and energy production throughout our entire body.  When you drink adequate amounts of water for your bodily needs, you are less likely to consume soda, coffee or sugary energy drinks that, for the most part, throw your blood sugar levels off and cause possibly more stress on the body.  Yuck!

So, in a nut-shell, DRINK more water!  Ideally, you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day.  EAT high-quality foods.  EXERCISE and MOVE your body.  And make sure you get proper SLEEP!

Any questions?

Over Training? How To Know

Many of us get frustrated because we aren't getting the results that we want, especially when we go the gym on a regular basis. Or, we feel as though we are truely putting in more "time" at the gym than others, but "they" seem to be getting results and not us. This is the part where you need to open your mind and read carefully - THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF THIS IN ACTIVE ATHLETIC PEOPLE IS OVERTRAINING! Read it again. I'll wait.

I love the rule the 1-3% Rule by Paul Chek. It's a great rule to follow for optimal conditioning. The rule is very simple and very effective when honored. Here it is: If you can't meet and exceed your previous workout performance by 1-3%, you don't belong in the gym! Take the day off, or enjoy some Work-In exercises. Work-In exercises are called "zone exercises" which can be found in Pauls book "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy." These exercises are designed to cultivate more energy than it does to execute the exercises - therefore, leaving you more vital than before you began the exercises. Who doesn't want that?

By balancing our work outs and work-In activities, we will make optimal strength and conditioning gains...and, we know that exercise can significantly slow the aging process...all for FREE!!

So, I encourage you to learn about Paul Chek. Learning helps us grow.

Commitment and Continuity

The question isn't "What's your New Year's Resolution?" The question IS "How are you going to succeed with those new goals?" Healthy goals, or Wellness goals, whatever you want to call them, always seem to be really important when January rolls around. But we run out of steam around March. It's not because we don't want our new healthy lifestyle, it's just because we really don't know how to keep the momentum going and what seemed like a good idea in January, now doesn't look so good, for whatever reasons. Sound familiar?

We all know that eating healthy and getting exercise is important. But what we forget is that to truely embrace a new idea , such as a New Year's resolution, we have to understand what the commitment entails. Did you know that it takes about 21 days for our brains to replace a bad habit with a new one? Here are a few questions that deserve some thought before you enter the commitment zone:

1. Why do I want to do this? Why is this important to me? What's the pay off?
2. Do I have the resources to accomplish this? Do I have access to resources to help me?
3. What type of daily/weekly support system is required? Most changes that we embrace require us to have some type of support system at our fingertips, whether it be a Wellness Coach, a gym, a good friend and/or family members.
4. Is this a lifestyle change or a quick fix? Most lifestyle changes require #3....quick fixes are.....well, quick, and don't last.
5. Am I emotionally ready to engage in this? Is this a knee-jerk reaction or a well thought out plan?

Any type of change or commitment deserves continuity. If we want to see any changes or growth in our lives, we must practice it daily...and this goes for any new commitment; whether it's buying a new puppy, painting our bathroom or getting married. They ALL require us to be mindful and stay focused on what's important. We can't eat "healthy" for two weeks and then eat fast food for the next two weeks and wonder why we don't feel well, or wonder where those extra 5 pounds came from. We can't nurture a marriage if we never spend time with our spouse. It just doesn't work that way.

The same goes for us. If we truely decide, in our minds and in our hearts, that we want to make positive life changes - ditch bad habits! - then we must commit to it and never stop commiting to it! It CAN be done! YOU can do it!

I would love to hear about your wellness/lifestyle changes and how you embraced, or are currently embracing!, the Commitment and forged, or forging!, ahead with Continuity. Your story will inspire others!!

Your Wellness Coach's Welcome

I am Carolyn Kimmel. I have successfully helped thousands of men and women over the past 29 years make a change to a healthier lifestyle. It’s a passion and a priority of mine to empower all age and fitness levels with the knowledge and confidence that a healthy lifestyle can be achieved, one step at a time, and that it can be exhilarating! The uncertainty of change is part of the human experience. The certainty of a healthier body, reduced stress, a fitter, more active and vital body, and a sensible nutrition plan results in a better sense of well-being.