Image Distortion: How Fitness Pictures May be Telling the Wrong Story

Warning:  I didn't pull any punches with this post.  I've been stewing on this topic for awhile, listening to One Direction and Taylor Swift all day, and now I'm all riled up.  

We've all heard this saying before:

"A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words."

But, what if all of those words were a lie?

Specifically, what if those pictures in that email you received from your favorite diet guru were not from clients he/she actually worked with?  Or the pictures on the advertisement for your gym were not created within those four walls?

In an age where we have endless access to "free" images ranging from inspirational to inappropriate, a single click of the mouse can send a picture to every time zone and latitude in the world.

Which is great for people who are looking to start a brand, spread a message, or share an idea.

But on the other side of the coin, we see people looking to get InstaFamous or take credit where credit is not due.

I have to tell you- I see this all the time in the realm of health and fitness.

A gym puts images of muscle bound beasts and beast-ettes they have not programmed, trained, or produced.  A diet program swipes a video of someone who has not used or endorsed their program and posts it on Facebook, implying an endorsement.  A magazine uses a stock image of  a fitness model, but then suggestively infers results that are not typical in the fine print.

It happens.  All.  The.  Time.

And it hacks me off.

Sometimes Karma gets even...

To be clear, I firmly believe that using someone's image as your own is a form of plagiarism.  You know, plagiarism- that thing that gets people kicked out of college and ruins their future.  Even if it's done accidentally, it's still considered plagiarism.

Unfortunately, in the school of life,  there is no professor to keep us honest.  But sometimes Karma catches up.  

Are you familiar with Rich Froning?  He is the four time CrossFit Games champion and trains specifically to CrossFit modalities.  While "be ready for the unknown and unknowable" is a common mantra used by many Crossfitters, Rich Froning has not spent his time figuring out how to train for a triathlon.

Needless to say, this image is no longer on Outside Magazine's Twitter feed.

Do you follow Jason Sieb?  If not, you should.  His approach to weight loss is anti-starvation and anti-body hatred.  An image of one of his most famous clients was used in an email blast from trainer recommending the exact opposite of what he teaches.  And not only that, but this trainer watermarked the image as her own.  Um, what?
     

There was an apology issued on Facebook, but that apology is no longer posted on the newsfeed of said trainer.

But not all that glitters is gold.  

Those were examples of images that were used without permission.  The other side of this is when stock images of fitness professionals are used to represent an outcome of a process, methodology, or plan that flat out did not produce those results.  This applies to both fitness models and professional athletes who are compensated for the way their body looks or performs.

While these images are used with permission, they are often misleading:

• This is most often their full time job.  If they don't look or perform a certain way, they don't get paid.  Just like if you don't turn in that spreadsheet on time, you don't get paid.  
• I would argue that most fitness models and professional athletes are genetically pre-disposed to a certain body composition.  I'm not saying that these folks don't work hard, I'm saying they have a body that has an easier time looking and moving a certain way.
• Fitness models usually only look their best for a set number of hours and that will be timed with their photo shoot.  Mean they are usually dehydrated, carb depleated, and undernourished when that photo captures every muscle and vein in their abs.
• Testing for performance enhancing drugs is good, but it's not that good.  Comparing yourself to a professional athlete without being willing to at least entertain the thought of taking under the table supplements is short sighted.  

To be clear, I am not degrading or lessening the work of these professional athletes and fitness models.  They've gotten to where they are because they have mastered their field.  I am calling out fitness and nutrition "experts" peddling a result they did not produce.

This frustrates me because I think most of the general population understands (or would if it was explained to them) that both performance and aesthetic goals are impacted by everything else they have going on in life.

But we all know sex sells.  The image of a size two fitness model will get more hits than a mom of four who is well rested, happy, mobile, healthy, and living a balanced life.

The Power of Discernment 

So how do you know if the person you are seeking for advice, programming, or gym space is being completely honest about what they can do for you?

Below are three questions to you can ask before signing a contract or giving away any of your hard earned money.  As with most things, there are shades of gray, so just be sure to listen to your BS meter.  

1. Is that person on your advertisement one of your clients?  Ideally you would want them to say "Heck yeah!  That person is the pride and joy of my program!"  But even if they aren't, it may not be all bad.  For example, professional photos are expensive and stock photos are not, so maybe they are a start-up and need something visual (hey, I've done this when I needed some pictures of zombies).

2.  Are these results typical?  One plan or exercise will not work the same way for everyone, but all other things being equal, we should expect to see a common result.  If I were asking this question, I would be looking for someone to be able to explain factors that impact results.

3.  Am I able to customize or modify your program?  There is a fine line between modifying and flying off the rails while expecting certain results.  For example, if I put you on a meal plan and told you that you could expect results while enjoying one splurge meal per week and you were pretty sure I MEANT once per day...  welllllll.....


We're visual creatures, so using pictures to convey a message is incredibly effective and powerful.  There is nothing wrong with using an image to send a message... as long as that message is one that the disseminator can claim as their own.

I understand that things happen and images can be shared with the best of intentions, but incorrectly.  Regardless, if someone is showcasing someone else's hard work, they should have the decency to give credit where credit is due.

Don't let the image of your goals be distorted by someone looking to make a quick buck.  Those results may be anything but typical.


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What do you think?  Is this practice a party foul or no big deal?  Have you seen this yourself?

5 Things I Learned from Corporate America

Today is the day....  the day I say goodbye to my cubicle and the florescent lights (and the toxic dump next door).  I'm doin' this career thing on my own now. 

I am so excited to take this step, but in my haste I've forgotten that I've spent nearly the last decade of my life growing into new and exciting roles.  I think often when we're so focused on what's ahead of us, we forget how valuable the thing is that we're leaving behind. 

So I've put together five life lessons I've learned from living in the corporate world.  There are many, many more than this, but in the interest of time (hey, I'm self employed now), I'm keeping it to just five. 


1. Always Lead With Data- Listen, we all love the warm and fuzzies of 'listening to our hearts' or 'trusting our instincts' but when it comes to real life decisions that impact not just you personally, but hundreds or even thousands of other people, you have to do the research.  And don't do shotty research.  You may get away with it once or twice, but not forever.  The data might not be easy to get, but figure it out.  You simply cannot impact the bottom line without having the facts to back it up.

2. Don't Forget to Trust Your Gut-  Data is incredibly important, but you cannot rely solely on what the data is telling you.  Apply your knowledge or life experience.  And if you don't have that knowledge, find someone who does.  Just as making decisions with no data can wreak havoc, making decisions based on data alone can be just as detrimental.  The best leaders I've had the fortune to work with always make decisions using a combination of facts and their own experience.

3. Never Assume You are the Smartest Person in the Room-  Trust me on this one, I've learned the hard way.  First of all, if you assume you are the smartest person in the room, you are obviously wrong.  And second, if you make the mistake of thinking you are the smartest person in the room, you are tempting fate that you will fall flat on your face in front of everyone (literally or figuratively... I've done both). 
Listen- there is nothing wrong with being a subject matter expert in any field, but the knowledge of one does not stand alone.  If you want to be successful and change your world, you will need to learn how to use the power of collaboration.

4. Figure Out How to use Your Resources- As I stated above, you cannot know everything.  The good news is that we live in a world where access to infinite knowledge is literally at our finger tips.  If you have a question, figure it out using your resources.  Do not rely on other people to take time out of their busy days to help you. 
Let me explain: at my (now former) job, I was regarded as somewhat of an excel expert.  Not because I took classes or have some innate ability to understand rows, columns, and cells.  It's because I learned to harness the power of Google.  For awhile, it was fairly common for people to ask me a question that could be easily answered online.  Don't get me wrong, I am happy to help.  But you can bet if it came down to an interview, I would have some thoughts about that person's ability to get a job done.
One of the best managers I've ever had used to tell me to "Go figure it out" all the time.  It was uncomfortable and frustrating.  But I learned that the best, most transferable skill that you can ever develop is the ability to use your resources and get things done. 

5. Learn to Love Your Co-Workers- ....they are, after all, your family.  Or at least sometimes it seems like it.  There have been times in the past several years where I saw my team more than I saw my husband. 
When I first entered the work force, I thought it was weird to see people hanging out after work or getting together on the weekends. 'You see these people all day, why would you want to see them when you're not at work.'  But eventually, it clicked. 
These people are not just the people that you race out of the parking lot or compete with for a raise.  You are DOING LIFE with them.  They will be your walking partner, your interior design consultant, your relationship therapist, your personal comedian, your encouragement for eating well (or poorly), your personal shopper, your lighthouse in the storm....  and your best friend.  Like anything in life, you will get out what you put in.  Invest in these people and it will pay dividends.

So that's it...  And this is it: 

To my corporate friends and mentors....  Thanks for the memories.  It's not farewell, just see you later.

Cheers-

Kelsey 

Real Food Burger Bun Recipe and Updates

It has been a crazy few weeks!  In an awesome way, of course, but a lot has happened!  So I wanted to give you a 'Kelsey's life' update and then share an AWESOME recipe just in time for your 4th of July Backyard BBQ.

So here we go:

• I became a Quitter.  At the beginning of this month, I turned in my notice to my Corporate job so I can focus on Health Coaching full time.  I am so excited, nervous, scared, pumped, anxious, etc.  But mostly excited!  This means that I'm going to have more time to dedicate to my current clients, open my availability for new clients, and create awesome and relevant content more regularly.  Speaking of content....

• I started an e-Newsletter.  So sign up to get weekly access to exclusive content, recipes, articles, events, etc.  I know what you're thinking: "Between Groupon, the Prince of Nigeria, and all the cat pictures I get from Great Aunt Sally, there is no more room in my inbox."  Or "I already follow you on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  What do you possibly have to add to those?"  Well, I love Social Media, but I have no control over whether or not my posts show up on your news feed so you could be missing a lot of great information.  Even if you've followed by blog through Blogger, this is different.  But due to anti-spam laws I cannot sign you up!  Plus I promise my newsletter will be more relevant than those cat pictures!  Speaking of relevant...

• I'm officially a Certified Health Coach.  I finished and passed my final exam from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and am accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners.  This has been an incredibly enlightening and amazing journey, but it does not stop here.  I plan to continue to grow and learn every day, attend seminars and workshops, and attain designations.  

So I think that about sums it up for now... but stay tuned because there is more to come!

Low Carb, Real Food, Super Delish Burger Bun

  If you are gluten free, low carb, or just avoid bread, you know this time of year can be depressing.  You are usually the one left to munch on your slab of meat between two pieces of lettuce, or worse, cutting it up with a knife and fork.  

(Sad trombone.)

  So here we go.  A bun made with just 5 ingredients and that looks and tastes pretty darn close to a normal bun.  Plus it only takes 20 minutes to make.  10 cool points for me, right?  

  You can make this in advance and it will store for several days in the fridge.  Just make sure you take it out in enough time to come to room temperature.

  The recipe makes 1/2 of a bun.  So if you want to make enough for one burger, double it.  If you want to make enough for 2 burgers, make 4.  And so on...

Ingredients: 

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Cacao Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a small, oven safe bowl with coconut oil.  I used my Pyrex custard cups.  If you do not have a dish that you feel comfortable using in the oven, there is a microwave option listed below.  

Add all the ingredients to the bowl.

Whisk ingredients together until there are minimal to no lumps (some lumps are ok, but not a ton).

Put the bowl in the oven for 15 minutes, or until mixture is firm.  The bun will be light brown in color.  You can microwave it, if you prefer, for 90 seconds

Allow the bun to cool.  Use a knife and scrape between the egg and the dish and gently pop the bun out.

Create a majestic burger to make all other burgers jealous.  

And voila!  All your burger problems solved!  

Cheers!

Kelsey

10 Nourishing Snack Ideas for Road Trips

Fact:

Summer.  Is.  Awesome.  

Backyard BBQs, swimming, fireworks, vacations, longer nights, and waking up to the sunrise instead of the alarm!

And what's summer without a road trip or two (or three or four)?  It's fun to drive through small towns, stop at antique stores, explore new cities, pull over to take pictures of beautiful scenery, etc, etc, etc.

Heading into Hobart, Tasmania on the BEST ROAD TRIP EVER.

What's not to love about road trips???

Well....  how about the inexplicable regression to eating garbage fast food and gas station fare?

Seriously.  This is a big deal.  Nothing will ruin a scenic view or a game of I Spy quicker than gastrointestinal distress from a bucket of fried chicken or gas station hot dog.

As fate may have it, I've recently had several converastions on this very topic.  People just want to know what the heck to eat on a road trip!

Snacks

My recommendation is to pack your own cooler with snacks.  If you see an awesome little restaurant that looks quaint and/or hipster- get on it!  Otherwise, don't waste a cheat meal on a deep fried whatever's convient.

To qualify as a good road trip snack, the food must be able to survive in a cooler in the back of a car for a few days (sorry, Ice Cream is out).  It also has to be relatively low mess and non sticky.  That can limit the options, but it's not impossible.  Here is my list of 10 road trip compatible foods that won't derail your goals or your wallet.   

1. Beef Jerky.  If you can make your own, awesome.  If not, I recommend Steve's Paleo Kits- pre-packaged meals/snacks that are from ethically source animals and proceeds benefit an awesome cause!
2. Holy Guacamole.  These suckers are awesome.  The ingredients are legit, they're not messy, and they come in individual packets.  You can bring chopped veggies or organic tortilla chips for dipping.  I love to dip my beef jerky in them.  Mmmmmm...
3. Hard Boiled Eggs.  These will last in a cooler and pack a perfect punch of protein and fat.  You can also pre-peel them so you don't have to deal with the pesky egg shells in the car.
4. Kale Chips.  Kale is a nutrient powerhouse and Kale chips are delish. You can make them yourself or most grocery stores are carrying them these days.  Just watch the labels for any gnarly ingredients.  If you're buying, I recommend Brad's Raw Kale Chips.
5. Nuts.  Any kind that suits your fancy.  Just be careful with over consuming- one handful goes a long way!
6. Grapes.  You can really chop any type of fruit that you want, but I always feel like my fingers get really sticky really quickly with most chopped fruit.
7. Mini Sweet Peppers.  I eat these like candy- they are sweet and crunchy. Eat 'em on their own or with some Holy Guacamole! 
8. Dark Chocolate.  I mean, it's vacation, right??  This might satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you from pulling over to get an over sized shake (and fries to dip in it- am I right??).
9. Water.  This is super important, especially if you're wanting to hit the ground running or are trying to recover from too much sun.  Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, and avoid coffee and soda at all costs. 
10. Justin's Butter Nut Packets.  You can cut the corner of these handy little packets and eat them straight, or pair them with your dark chocolate!  

Restuarants

If you want to escape the confines of the car, are in a bind, or maybe get more than four feet from your family, use a "better than" strategy when selecting fast food.  Find someplace that serves a good salad- Subway, Panera, and Wendy's are good options!  Most fast food restaurants will serve bun-less burgers and many will allow you to sub a side salad for french fries  These places may not be ideal, but they are better than the alternative.

And finally,

Remember that it's vacation.  It's important to nourish your body, but don't be afraid to enjoy the local food.  If it's kangaroo in the Outback or your weight in Seafood on the Gulf Shores, culinary exploration is one of the funnest ways to experience life.  And no matter where you're heading this summer, be healthy, safe, and happy!

-Kelsey

What are your "Go To" road trip snacks?  Share them in the comments below!!

Wonderbag Review

Alright, let's play a game.  Do you know what this is?

Not a bird, not a plane, it's WONDERBAG.

(But if you ask Chandler, it's his brand new bed.)

But really, this thing is pretty awesome.  When it's not covered in cat hair.

Remember back in the day when when no one had Crock-Pots?  Yeah, neither do I.  But just because slow cookers didn't exist at one point in our history doesn't mean slow cooking wasn't a method.

On our trip to Australia, our guide at Uluru informed us that the Aboriginals used to dig a pit in the ground and place smouldering wood at the bottom to cook rough cuts of meat.  Such as a Kangaroo tail.  They would cover the pit and several hours later, the tail was mmm, mmm, finger lickin' good (I'm assuming).

Found this bad boy while we were down under.  Too bad we couldn't bring it home.
I mean, YOLO.  Right?

Since a lot of the world still doesn't have access to reliable electricity, there is a reliance on wood or charcoal burning stoves.  This is problematic for all sorts of reasons.

Source: Wonderbag

So Wonderbag comes along.  A big puffy bag designed to insulate food so it finishes cooking without the need for power or fire.  Awesome, right?

Source: Wonderbag

What's even more awesome is that for every one you buy, one is donated to a family in Africa.  Did you hear that?  It's the best sort of BOGO.

And they sell them on Amazon these days.  So what did I do when I saw a bright and colorful new kitchen toy on Amazon?  I bought it, of course.

The simplicity is simply amazing.  Cook any dish you please to a boil.

Put a lid on and put it in the Wonderbag.

Cinch it up tight.  Allow it to slow cook for a few hours and you're done!

It's fun.  It's eclectic.  It will impress your guests.  And best of all, it makes me feel like a hipster.

No, but really, best of all it's a fun way to make great food with a global impact.

I totally recommend it.

Bonus recommendation- it would make a great gift for the chef in your life who already has every kitchen gadget.

Have you tried it?  Do you want to?  Let's talk about it in the comments!

More than just Good Livin'

I wrote this last year for my previous blog, but never got around to editing it and getting it up (clllllassic Kelsey).  As we're gearing up for warmer weather and outdoor challenges, I would encourage everyone to put GORUCK on their list.  Side note, I swore I would NEVER do one again, but alas I'm signed up for one in June with some of the strongest people I know!  Heck yeah!!!

Who doesn't love the idea of 10-12 hours of "Good Livin'"?  That's what I thought when I first signed up for GORUCK.  I heard it was mostly mental and hey, I've done a tough mudder.  And a zombie run.  Plus, I don't know if you know this but I CrossFit.


Good Livin' is GORUCK's description of all of their challenge events.  So here is what our Good Livin' included: 13 miles of St. Louis terrain (some questionable) overnight while wet, cold, and hauling some form of weight.

GORUCK is not a race. The only way you win is if you finish as a group.  While trekking your city, you will complete a series of military-like training tasks.  All of this is done while wearing a ruck sack full of bricks, water, food, and dry clothes. 

The most important thing to understand about GORUCK is that while it's designed to physically and metally push you to every limit you have, you'll walk (or crawl) away stronger than you've ever been in your life.

GORUCK is lead by a Cadre who is former military, Special Ops to be specific.  I suspected (and still do) our Cadre, Jason, was a former CIA enforcer.  He did NOT mess around. All the Cadres have rules. And breaking a rule is not something anyone wants to do.

Our group, 15 total, started at the Arch grounds at 10pm one Saturday night last May.  Jason was right on time and had us line up in formation next to a duck pond.  His instructions were 'turn around and walk 5 feet into the pond.'  And our night started with an hour of PT in the pond (push-ups, mountain climbers, burpees, squats, etc)

PT in South City

I still remember the night vividly, but to spare everyone from a blow by blow playback, I'll  highlight my major lightbulb moments of the night:

1. There really is strength in numbers: We ran down by the riverfront past some suspiciously awkward activities.  I would not go near there in a million years by myself.  But hey, mess with me now.  

2. Duck ponds make you stronger: Here is how our experience with the duck pond played out:  Into the pond, back out, break a rule, back in.  Repeat. Several times.  I was positive I was going to catch a cold.  Or the Ebola virus.  Whatever.  But I finished the challenge and have yet to be checked into the hospital with a mysterious disease.

Crawl through sprinklers 10 hours in

3. Be willing to negotiate, but accept your limits when set: "You do not want to miss this time hack." When Jason would say those words, my soul would freeze.  Team checkpoints were a part of the challenge and the "time hack" was the time limit to get there.  While we could give input on the goal, the final say was Jason's.  Missing it usually meant some form of PT punishment (8 count push-ups, man-makers, etc).  But even though we missed some, we dug deep to hit others.  Life's lessons are often learned through consequences.

The group outside of the AB campus

4. Great leadership drives major accomplishments:  Enter the telephone pole.  Estimates put the weight anywhere between 700 and 1,000 lbs.  We had around 2 1/2 hours to move it 3 miles.  Our team leader managed his 14 peers not only to hit the time goal and keep the pole from touching the ground once, but also break through the biggest mental block of the challenge.  Picture the group 5 hours into the challenge: still cold from the duck pond and working through significant fatigue.  This is where no one would have blamed anyone for quitting, but everyone pushed through.

5. Never underestimate the power of dry socks: Your mom was right. That is all.

The group in the fountain across from Union Station.

6. There really is no 'I' in Team: I cannot lift a 1,000 lb telephone pole. I cannot carry six 70 lb sandbags at once.  But more importantly, I won't do PT in a duck pond, wade in a freezing cold fountain, climb walls, belly crawl through sprinklers, or sprint from one St. Louis landmark to another after 10 hours of insanity by myself.  But we did.  Maybe it's mob mentality...  Or maybe it was that we had a team of old and new friends pushing each person to be better with every step. A good team will get you through some pretty big stuff, but great team will help you crush your own demons.

Al Macinnis says "GORUCK, Eh?"

7. You can accomplish about 800x more work than you think you can: The last hour and a half of the challenge brought sprints from one landmark to another, mini challenges, and punishment for missing time hacks.  Every inch of my body was screaming.  Every step was a battle.  And I would love to tell a story about how I rose from the ashes with renewed strength.  Nope.  Not even close.  But I finished.  We all finished.  It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  And when Jason congratulated us for finishing, I almost cried.

I will cherish my GORUCK patch For. Ev. Er.  





And a special shoutout to my GORUCK teammates and lifelong BFFs for being such an amazing group: Linda, Megan, Jim, Brian, Jason, Jason, Jake, Kyle, Allen, Kurt, Matt, Nick, Ben, and John. And thanks to Cadre Jason for making this experience the real deal.

I got what I thought I would get out of this- two killer blisters on my heels, a goose egg on my shin, and an open wound on my back from where bricks scraped.

But more importantly, I got a boost to my self esteem, a new found appreciation for members of our armed forces, and different perspective on the term "Good Livin'."  GORUCK boasts that they build better Americans.  I agree 100% with that.

Photos Courtesy of Cadre Jason

-Kelsey

...Someone Has a Case of the Resolutions

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face."

                                                   -Mike Tyson

I don't know if anyone else notices, but this time of year the number of Weight Watchers, Gold's Gym, and Match.com commercials increase what feels like a million fold.  On the surface they're saying "now's a time to get a great deal on my product or service" but what we interpret is "if you want to be happy or have value in the coming year, you need to sign up for this product."

Listen, I'm all for changing your life.  I'm all for getting together with community to make these changes.  I'm all for measuring, tracking, and bragging about changing your life. And if you decide that you're ready to make those changes starting January 1st, I'm for it.

But here is my beef with New Years Resolutions:  It's a great time for us to get help with the What, When, and How, rarely do we have a handle on the WHY.

The WHY, in my opinion, is the most important focus when changing your life.  Right around January 1st, our WHY tends to be because everyone else is doing it.  Or the gym is having a sale.  Or we really want to look good on the beach in 6 months.  None of these reasons are in any way bad- but they lack providing real drive when we're standing in front of a carton of Moose Tracks after a really really hard day.

Before you jump on the Resolution bandwagon, take a few minutes to think through WHY you want to spend the time, money, and effort on getting healthy:

"...because I want to be able to get on the floor and wrestle with my kids next year and my grandkids in 20 years."

"...because my family history of diabetes has finally caught up to me."

"...because my father just had a heart attack and despite the fact that we have a lot of the same habits, I'd still like to be able to walk my daughter down the aisle."

"...I'm tired of taking medication that is making me more sick than it is healing me."

"...I want my daughter to grow up to be a strong woman because she lives with a strong woman as a role model."

Whatever your motivation- it needs to be genuine.  You have to harness your desire to be better tomorrow than you are today.  "Because I need to" or "Because everyone else is" won't work when you're wrecked and the only people that can you feel better are Ben and Jerry.

So let me put this into terms of my life- I have around 3-4% of body fat that I seem to shed, then find again.  On the surface, I want to get rid of it because my jeans will fit better and I'll have a flatter tummy.  But when I break it down, I know I'm carrying that extra fat because I tend to run low on sleep and high on stress.  This produces cortisol, the cortisol manifests as abdominal fat, and voila, my jeans don't fit right.  So while I want to drop body fat and look good in my jeans, what I will really be focusing on is reducing stress and getting enough sleep.

Translated, my New Year's Resolution for 2014 is going to be to actively work on stress management and make sleep a priority, which will translate into a higher quality of life and a lower body fat percentage.

Make sense?

So in light of all that, I need to ask- what is your resolution for 2014 and more importantly, WHY is it your resolution?

Cheers and Happy New Year!

-Kelsey

Thriving During the Holiday Seaon

  From a health and wellness perspective, this time of year is riddled with guilt and anxiety.  A quick Google search provides 53,800 results pertaining to just the term "Holiday Weight Gain."  With that sort of cultural standard, who can enjoy a full serving of mashed potatoes without figuring out the burpee equivalent???  And this isn't even getting into the stress of buying perfect gifts, making the rounds to keep everyone happy, and getting those coveted few workouts in while you can.

Sigh.... All this stress is enough to make me find a tree and hide away for the next few weeks.

Wait, what?  When did the holliest, jolliest time of year become about survival? Is there is a Grinch that finally figured out he doesn't need to take our stockings, Who-Hash, or Roast Beast??  He's a Robo-Grinch that finally figured out how to get our Christmas spirit.

Sigh... (Again.)

Here's the thing- it doesn't have to be like this.  We don't have to JUST survive.  We just don't have to let the guilt and anxiety get to us.  Let's punch that Grinch in his hairy ol' face and take back the right to thrive during the holidays.

  I don't know about the rest of you, but there are three huge areas where I start to freak out and stop enjoying life this time of year.  I've broken down some thoughts to help you mentally be ready for the next several weeks:

Eating:  

Ok.  Here is my recommendation on home to manage the guilt and anxiety on this:

Stop.  Just Stop.

Stop stressing, freaking out, or crying about eating off plan on the holidays.  If you want some apple pie at the expense of your thigh touching (which, by the way, is ridiculous), eat some darn apple pie.  If you want to eat some whipped cream on it, eat some full fat, homemade, fluffy goodness (but try to forgo the fake process junk if at all possible).

Here is the thing- guilt will translate to stress and will wreck your body, metabolism, immune system, sanity, and love for other people.

Side note: this is not a free pass to eat like garbage all the time.  This is a free pass to enjoy off plan meals 4-5 times over the course of one week this year.  And if you're looking for some great, high quality, whole food meals (and one cannot even call them cheats they're so good), check out these.

(And for goodness sake- don't be THAT person that brings the veggie loaf.) 

Working out:  

The holidays are one of my favorite times to move.  I don't usually workout at a gym because I'm on the road and don't feel like finding a random gym.  Holidays are fun because you can get the family together for a game of touch football, a dance party in the toy room, or a stroll through a winter wonderland. 

More importantly, this is an opportunity to build memories.  I can promise you the little ones won't remember who gave them the brand new DS game or the Amazon gift card, but they will remember who climbed trees with them and taking the dogs for a walk.

Stress:  

Similar to the comment on food, STOP STRESSING.  Stress does not do anyone any good, and will most likely shorten your lifespan (whoa, this just got real).

But seriously, what is so important that's it's worth snapping at your friends, family, and spouse?  Certainly nothing that has to do with who can give the best gift, bring the best dish, or wear the cutest outfit.

To be honest, this is where I struggle the most (just ask the Husband).  I don't have any cute or whimsical suggestions on how to stop, other than to gut check yourself and realize it needs to be done.  And stop it.  Seriously.  You're exhausting everyone.

So this season, I encourage you to capture true health by loving, laughing, and being a light to shine on all the world.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus/New Year, and may you experience Joy in all you do.

Cheers-

Kelsey

Albers Down Under: Kangaroo Island and the Beauty of Local

There is something really special about Kangaroo Island (KI) in Australia.  It may be the perfectly quaint size, beautiful bays and beaches, or the abundance of wildlife.  But I would be more willing to bet it’s because of the local people and their absolute pride in everything KI.  They love to showcase local honey, eucalyptuses oil, wine, fish, and wildlife.  The local pride is amazing- like sweet, normal pride.  Not the beer guzzling, cutoff jean shorts, ‘Murica type of pride that we’re used to.

As most people know, I am hugely passionate about supporting a local economy.  Being on vacation is no exception.  Kangaroo Island is a great example of how staying local creates more than just a memorable vacation.  It creates an adventure.

For example, KI’s climate is perfect for bee keeping.  We visited a bee-ery (??) where a local bee keeper discussed what makes KI so great for honey.  The local flora creates different tasting honey based on the different types of flowers visited by the bees (I’m sure other people know that… I didn’t).  So the bee keeper moves his hives around the island to create different tasting honeys.  The honey (particularly the honey ice cream) were ah-maz-ing.

Side note- if you suffer from seasonal allergies, honey from local hives can help alleviate those allergies.  Since local pollens are present in local honey, ingesting it acts sort of like a natural flu shot (without all the questionable side effects).  Raw honey works best, but any would be beneficial. 

On the topic of local flora, KI is full of Eucalyptus plants.  These plants produce a very powerful, potent, and perfectly beautiful oil and KI is home to a perfectly local and sustainable Eucalyptus distillery. 

Now, those people who have been with me on this crazy wellness journey over the past several years know that I am completely nuts about making my own cleaning and beauty products.  Some experiments have worked out better than others, but most homemade products call for essential oils.  Eucalyptus oil is a powerful additive to homemade cleaners, as well as anti-septic and cleansing agent for the skin.  So when I walked into the gift shop my head almost exploded.  Good thing there are weight limits for checked bags, or else I probably would have rolled out with as many 2 liter bottles as my suitcase would hold (at the expense of bringing any of my clothes back). 

The last, and most fun part about KI, is the abundance of native and introduced wild life.  As the name suggests, there were Kangaroos everywhere (I mean everywhere).  Our visit included several wildlife sanctuaries and a beach full of seals for some up close and personal time with wildlife.   

We pet and fed Kangaroos. 

(I mean seriously, I’m like a Kangaroo whisperer.)

We cuddled with some Koalas.  Warning- your head may explode with a cuteness overload.  

Held a baby Wallaby.

Hung out with some kookaburras. 

Met an Owl

Went all Brittany Spears with a snake (I didn’t catch the name of this snake since I was trying not to cry with its’ slithery and disgusting snakiness around me). 

And had a close encounter with some Australian fur seals.

Joel and I tend to fancy ourselves adventurers when we’re on vacation.  We’re not the type that can stick to a resort for a week (or even beyond a day) and be happy.  In reality we’re probably no better than the rest of the camera clad, map wielding tourists at which we scoff.  But in our minds we’re the Lewis and Clark of the tourism industry.

KI is beautiful and I’m so glad we got a chance to get out and explore.  I can understand why the locals take such pride in their home.  And whether we’re far off explorers or zinc covered camera jockeys, KI made for some awesome memories and even better pictures.

-Kelsey

Albers Down Under: Tasmania and the Art of YOLOing

Next up on our visit Down Under- Tasmania.  Now, I can honestly say that I have no idea why we put Tasmania on our itinerary.  I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Looney Toons and the fact that I grew up associating a large Tornado Rodent with Australia.  Either way, it got on our itinerary. 

We got the distinct impression that “mainlanders” don’t think much of the inhabitants of the southeastern island.  Our tour guide at the Sydney Opera house imitated them with a distinctly harder Aussie drawl (think Crocodile Dundee) and the front desk attendant at our Sydney responded (condescendingly) when I told him we were going to Tasmania “why would you want to go there?”

These impressions left us a bit apprehensive as we flew into Tasmania.  

I’ll paint the picture of a smaller sized jet flying into an airport no bigger than my grade school and deplaning in the middle of a runway.

But I’ll describe Tasmania to you in three words.  But first I want to you channel Janice from Friends through your mind:  Oh.  My.  Gawd. 

Tasmania is a beautiful, humble countryside riddled with livestock, rolling hills, and breathtaking coastlines.

But our trip to Tasmania didn’t go exactly as planned or hoped.  We ran into inclement weather (cold, windy, rainy, oh my), lost hotel reservations, and driving in a foreign country with foreign rules.  But all of this reminds me of one of the greatest lessons one could learn from traveling.  The lesson to be flexible.  To embrace challenges.  To roll with punches.  Learning this principle will help to optimize your life, reduce your stress levels, and create a view of the world beyond your wildest dreams.  Basically, what I’m getting at, is to learn how to YOLO. 

For those of you who don’t know what YOLO is, and for those of you who think you do, let me explain.  YOLO stands for “You Only Live Once.”  Most people have a very negative association with the term YOLO.  They frequently associate the noun YOLO it with skinny jean wearing, spring breaking, hipster wannabes.  But I’m here to introduce the verb YOLO.  Changing this word into a verb will change your entire outlook on life.  Situations that may have been stressful or frustrating before YOLOing become an opportunity to strike out and learn something about yourself or your world.

To be clear, I certainly do not condone YOLOing when it comes to fundamental principles of safety (don’t YOLO when welding), security (don’t YOLO down a dark alley), narcotics (don’t YOLO in the presence of cocaine), matters of the heart (don’t YOLO when it comes to bad boys), nutrition (don’t ever YOLO in the presence of a Twinkie), or general common sense (if you’re behind on a deadline at work, it is not recommended that you YOLO).

I’m sure I’ve made myself as clear as mud.  But let’s apply this to our trip to Tasmania.

What do you do when you’ve rented a car in a country that you’ve inhabited for less than two days who drive on the opposite side of the road?

YOLO.

What do you do when you get to lodge, only to find that they cannot find your reservation?  Freak out?  Yell?  No way.  Wait it out for a $400 per night upgrade and…

YOLO.

What do you do when the hike that the park ranger sent you on suddenly becomes a bit overwhelming? 

YOLO.

What do you do when you come across a creature that according to the Tasmanian department of transportation can deadlift a car

and has only existed in picture books and on TV?

YOLO.

What do you do when you plan on taking an after dark tour of penguins, only to be confronted with rain, wind, and cold?  

YOLO.

What do you do when your plan for a peaceful harbor cruise turns into a storm of Titanic proportions? 

YOLO

What do you do when confronted with a saltwater booger (otherwise known as an Oyster) for consumption, but the thought of it makes you want to puke?

YOLO.

What do you do when you’ve been confronted by one of the most beautiful habitats on earth with no creative photography plans? 

YOLO.  (Pistol Style)

And for my canine readers out there, what do you do when you’re on a fishing boat with 15 strangers and no dolphins to chase?

YOLO.

You see, at its core, the principle of YOLOing has nothing to do with the type of jeans you wear, the brightness of your PCB tank top, or even how many Twitter followers you have.  YOLOing is not sweating the small stuff.  YOLOing is about finding ways to maximize your short time on this planet.  And most importantly, YOLOing is learning that life begins outside of your comfort zone.

-Kelsey