Do you "fat talk"?

Have you ever had a “fat moment”?

Maybe it happened while you were trying on a new pair of pants in front of one of those terribly-lit mirrors in the mall. Or when a family member made a rude comment about your body. Or maybe a friend tagged you in a bad Facebook photo and you immediately untagged yourself, thinking you that you look too big/too chubby/not fit enough.

It happens to all of us: those brief little moments when, instead of focusing in on how proud we are of our efforts to eat clean, to exercise and to live a healthy life, we focus in on the way our calves look.

It’s called “fat talk”, and it can seriously derail your active lifestyle and bust your motivation to get to the gym.

So, how do you stop putting yourself down?

Change the way you talk to yourself, say the experts interviewed by Judi Ketteler in her motivational article in Oxygen’s Abs special issue (check her out on page 100! The issue goes on sale April 12.) In the article, she provides strategies for quieting your inner critic and becoming your own biggest support system – in fitness, in health and in life.

I love Judi’s tip about having a visual cue, something as simple as a sticker or a couple of words scribbled on your hand during a workout, that reminds you to switch over to positive self-talk. I have mine, “I am strong enough”, written on the inside cover of my workout journal. It’s such a small detail, but it always gives me the encouragement to stay positive and give it my all.

And here’s another tip that might help you be kinder to yourself: Instead of nitpicking at your body, find three things that you love about it. Write them down, if it helps. Is your core strong enough to hold your body in perfect form for a full minute while performing the plank? Are your legs capable of carrying through a 5K? Do your arms lift up your child 30 times a day? Focus on what you love about your body, and I’m positive you’ll get further in the gym too.

What do you love about your body?

Do you have your own motivational mantra?

I’d love to hear from you!

Energy makeover

“How’s your energy these days?”

It’s a question that my family doctor asks me during every check-up.

Like many women, I used to have low blood iron levels, and I know that my doctor is doing her due diligence by following up. So why does that question make me feel a little uneasy?

I think it’s because of a little thing I’ve heard being referred to as the “3 o’clock slump." My energy is great overall, but it’s that mid-day hump between lunch and dinner, between work and home, between office chair and being out and about, that gets me.

To tackle the “slump”, I find that little bursts of movement help. If I do something active during my lunch break, I always feel more recharged into the afternoon. A healthy snack with protein and whole grains also does the job. I love almond butter on whole wheat bread (or on a banana, or on a spoon – or an anything!). A good night’s rest makes a big difference too, especially during Project Runway season when it can be difficult to get to bed on time (To be honest, I think I watch to see the bad outfits more so than I do to see the good ones!)

So, how’s YOUR energy these days?

Are you facing any challenges? Have tips to share for staying peppy into the afternoon?

I’d love to hear from you!

Move it!

Here’s a bit of research that had me taking a stand: According to a recent Australian study, the more time that we spend sitting on our butts, the less likely we are to have healthy measures of HDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, fasting triglycerides (a form of blood fat) and C-reactive protein (an indicator of inflammation in our bodies that’s linked to heart disease).

Well great, I thought, as I read over the study, parked in my office chair.

Fortunately, there was good news: The same researchers found that taking short breaks from sitting – even for as little as one minute – is linked to improvements in health. People who made a habit out of moving around had healthier measures of C-reactive protein and (bonus!) smaller waists.

That’s a pretty impressive stat, so it got me thinking about all the ways I can cram some activity into a single minute, or two, or three, during my work day. I came up with these:

• Walk more. I know it sounds ridiculous, but when things get busy around here, so do I. I’ve actually picked up the phone before and dialed a co-worker’s extension instead of trekking over to see her. Want to know the worst part? She sits on the opposite side of my cubicle. (Hi, Rachel!)
• Get up a few times a day to stretch at my desk. I’ve done it twice today and it feels sooo good to feel my body stretch out and get relaxed.
• Use the downstairs kitchen, bathroom, etc. Stashing my lunch in a refrigerator on another floor will give me an excuse to take the stairs. (Sorry in advance to everyone in the downstairs kitchen who doesn’t love the smell of tuna.)

It feels great to know that these little bursts of exercise can add up to better health.

What do you do to move more at the office? What about everywhere else?

I’d love to hear from you!

Tell me about your success!

One of the perks of my job here at Oxygen involves connecting with readers who have made healthy lifestyle transformations and bringing you a set of Success Stories each month.

It’s always so inspiring for me to see what these women have accomplished with just a little bit of dedication, confidence and hard work. They kick butt!

It doesn’t ever happen overnight, and it doesn’t come without obstacles. But all the women we feature in Success Stories can attest to the fact that hard work does pay off, and that nothing can get in the way of a determined mindset.

Take Ellen Ichinose, for example.

{Photo courtesy of dougjantzphotography.com}

Her story originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Oxygen, explaining how she dropped 23 pounds of fat in her 40s. But what I found even more remarkable was the way she overcame her fear of strength training.

Ellen used to be a woman who was intimidated to step into the weight room with the “big guys”, so she stayed hidden in the cardio room. And now? She’s strong enough to perform pull-ups, fit enough to train alongside people half her age, and confident enough to walk into her gym’s weight room and ask the muscular guys to spot her as she lifts. I love that!

Ellen has maintained her fit body (and attitude!) since we ran her story, and the number-one tip she gives to women who are just on the brink of fitness goes something like this: “You must change the way you think of yourself. If you’re not careful, you can make excuses and listen to criticism, so learn to be content with who you are. You are a beautiful work in progress.”

So, here’s what I’d like to know: What fears are holding you back from accomplishing your full fitness potential? And what are you going to do to take action?

And if you have a success story to share, I’d love to hear it!

Simply fill out this form, or send me a line at success@oxygenmag.com.

How do you de-stress?

Have you ever come dangerously close to being late for work because you “temporarily” unplugged your Blackberry to charge up your electric toothbrush the night before…and forgot to plug it back in?

I’d like to say “Me neither,” but that’s exactly what happened to me this morning.

Running late always does something to me: It stresses me out, no matter how clean my teeth are.

The same goes for traffic jams, looming deadlines and (I admit it!) catching up on old episodes of Dexter. It all sends my body into stress mode.

And, apparently, I’m not alone. According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, almost half of women in the United States reported feeling increased levels of stress in the past year.

That’s a staggering amount, especially considering the effect that stress can have on our bodies and health: Experts have linked it to everything from headaches, sleeping problems and reduced concentration to increased blood pressure and even belly fat (due to a spike in the hormone cortisol).

So, what are you doing to add more calm to your life?

I love to meet with a friend for a warm cup of tea, run a bubble bath on a Friday night or take in a really good read (Do you have any suggestions? I’m currently working through Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda). I also love to get outdoors. There’s a cute little park by a lake in my city, and when I take walks there, feeling the nice warm breeze against my face in the spring, I can feel the stress exiting my body, sort of like a wrinkle being ironed out of a shirt.

I’d love to hear your de-stressing techniques. Do you hit the gym? Listen to music? Relax with a copy of Oxygen? Let me know!

And if you’re looking for some expert tips, check out Oxygen’s Abs Special issue, on sale April 12. We’ve got a whole article devoted to cutting some of your most common stressors.

Be Fit and Healthy!

Welcome to my blog!

I’ve re-written my first post about 37 times, trying to figure out how to introduce myself to you, so here goes: My name is Kasia and I’m the health editor here at Oxygen. Each month, I get the opportunity to explore a health issue that is important to active women like you – and that’s definitely my favorite part of my job.

Why?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I cringe every time I see a trashy celebrity magazine on the newsstand that screams with a headline about the latest Hollywood starlet who dropped 25 pounds by eating nothing but beets, or by wearing the latest torture device slimming garment that keeps her sucked and tucked in (but can she breathe?).

To me, fitness is about more than just looking good. It’s about being healthy, feeling strong and knowing that the choices I make to jump on the treadmill, eat a balanced meal or break a sweat in the weight room don’t just impact my “muffin top”: they contribute to a longer, healthier and better life.

Less stress. More energy. Reduced risk of disease. That’s what it’s all about.

So, let me ask you a question.

You’ve probably thought a thousand times about your fat loss goals. But what are your health ambitions for the rest of this year?

Do you want to become more mindful, lower your blood pressure or get your heart health on track?

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what’s important to your lifestyle, and which health issues you’d like to explore together.

I’m up for discussing anything – as long as it doesn’t involve a pair of Spanx.

Arnold pics and cardio kicks

My time at the helm of Oxygen's staff blog is coming to a close, and honestly, it's been amazing fun sharing my thoughts, gripes and fitness plans with you. I hope that my stories were less "babbling," more "thought-provoking," but truth be told I'd even settle for "an okay way to waste five minutes." Kasia, our lovely health editor, is taking the reigns of this blog for the next four weeks. As always, don't be afraid to pipe in with your thoughts via the comments section!

Before I leave, there's two things that I want to share with you.

1) I only touched briefly on cardio training (care of my spinning post), but I have to admit that I am a cardio junkie - and if you add in some hardcore intervals, I'm in fitness-nerd heaven. Here's a sample of the routine I generally follow when I hit the treadmill, elliptical or StepMill. If I feel as though I could go longer during the harder intervals, I do - as with all exercise, it's best to listen to your body's cues as opposed to what your preplanned routine dictates. One last thing: If you are on the treadmill, don't keep your incline at 0; an incline of 1 or 2 will better mimic outdoor running conditions.

My 30-minute cardio fix

Minutes 0-3: Warmup

Minutes 3-5: Light jog (or an easy gait if you are on the elliptical or StepMill)

Minutes 5-8: Increase speed by one level each minute until you are sprinting during minute 8

Minutes 8-12: Decrease speed by one level each minute until you come back to your light jog.

Minutes 12-19: Repeat minutes 5 through 12.

Minuters 19-27: Repeat minutes 5 through 12, but add another minute to your fastest interval at minute 22 (so you are sprinting for two minutes; if you need to, sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 30 seconds, then repeat for your second minute)

Minutes 27 to 28: Light jog

Minutes 28-30: Cool-down walk; follow with a stretch

2) Here's some of my favorite pics from the 2011 Arnold. It was an honest-to-goodness blast and an event every fitness buff must experience! Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the booth to say hi to the Oxygen team!

(Top left) Models Natalia Muntean and Melissa Pittman demonstrate how to do the Bulgarian split squat on our stage.

(Top right) Stacy Jarvis, Oxygen's art director, and photographer Jason Breeze take a moment to pose for the camera.

(Top) Erin Smith, Stacy Kennedy, Wendy Morley and Diane Hart (in case you can't tell by their name tags) brought big smiles to the booth each and every day.

(Bottom) Mags, mags, everywhere!

(Top left) From left to right: Lindsay Messina, Rachel Crocker (that's me!), Amanda Adams and Stacy Jarvis representing short women everywhere.

(Top right) I look super pale next to the always radiant Lori Harder.

Burn, baby, burn!

If you are like me and you love to hate the next-day muscle soreness you feel from a good workout (obviously not to be confused with injuries, sports fans), you've come to the right place!

In my own training, I've found that the best way to really feel the burn on any part of my body is with supersets, which is done by following one set of an exercise immediately with a set of another. This can be done with opposing muscle groups, such as your chest and back, or by targeting the same muscle group with both exercises (which is personally my favorite way to go). By reducing your rest periods, you'll also decrease the length of your workout while increasing the amount of calories burned. In fact, they are so effective that I've considered starting a petition to rename them "superdupersets." (The petition will be circulated with another sheet for those who want me to stop renaming things; ten bucks says I can guess which will be more popular.)

Here's three of my faves for your upper body, lower body and core. Try them in your next workout and let me know what you think!

Armed and dangerous superset

Do three to four supersets, resting one minute between each superset. Instead of splitting my arm training into tri and bi days like I used to, I've taken to doing supersets, following one triceps exercise with a biceps exercise or visa versa.

EXERCISE ONE: Body-weight triceps dips; 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Dumbbell hammer curls; 10 to 12 reps

Boost my booty superset

Do three supersets, resting one minute between each superset. This one is great because following a weighted exercise with a body-weight one really lets you push your butt to its limits. The best approach is to do as many walking lunges as you can before your form gives out - along with your legs.

EXERCISE ONE: Plie squats with dumbbell (holding a single weight with both hands, arms extended to the ground or slightly bent); 12 to 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Body-weight walking lunges; 30 reps (15 on each leg)

Killer core superset

Do three to four supersets, resting one minute between each superset. For a strong core, targeting your lower back as well as your abs is super important, so this pairing kills two birds with one stone.

EXERCISE ONE: Bench knee tucks (sit on the end of a bench, extend your legs while leaning back, then bend your legs, bringing your knees toward your chest while hinging your torso forward from your hips); 15 reps

EXERCISE TWO: Lower back extensions (using the back extension bench at the gym - if you want, you can even hold a weight against your chest), or supermans; 12 to 15 reps

Snack on this

Well friends, the 2011 Arnold Sports Festival has come and gone. It was an absolute whirlwind, and I am still having trouble settling back into the monotony of real life. I'll be sharing pictures with you guys soon - stay tuned!

One thing that I love about the Arnold is the abundance of free swag from the expo hall (that's the cheapskate in me talking). Spend an hour meandering from booth to booth and you are guaranteed to walk away with a plethora of XXXL t-shirts, glossy brochures and quasi-nutritious food samples. The best freebies to grab by far are the protein bars, and even though I vowed after my umpteenth sample to never nosh on them again, I do have to admit that they are amazing fall backs for that mid-afternoon slump. Sure, I'd rather eat an apple or a hard-boiled egg - basically, something with an ingredient list that I can pronounce - but when there's nothing fresh in sight, I certainly won't turn down an enriched chocolate treat.

Of all the bars I tried over the weekend, here are some of my faves:

- Myoplex Lite, Chocolate chocolate chip crisp flavor (190 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 15 grams protein, 260 mg sodium) With a texture akin to a Rice Krispie square and a smaller-than-average calorie and fat count, this bar is tops in my book. I sometimes split one in half and have one part midmorning, the other midafternoon.

- Power Crunch Protein Energy Bar, Peanut butter fudge flavor (200 calories, 12 grams fat, 13 grams protein, 100 mg sodium) Okay, so this one is higher in fat - and comes with a not-so-ideal 5 grams of saturated fat - but the taste can't be beat. It reminds me of the wafer cookies that I used to steal out of the kitchen cupboard when no one was looking. (Sorry, mom!)

- Larabar, Peanut butter and jelly flavor (210 calories, 10 grams fat, 6 grams protein, 60 mg sodium) While technically this one is more of an energy bar than a protein bar, what impresses me is its 100% natural ingredient list. In fact, if you check out their website, you can see that all of the ingredients can actually be represented by easily recognizable pictures. You can't say that for maltodextrin!

Do you guys have any bars or powders that you consider your faves? Share them here!

No chip on my shoulder(s)

I treated myself to a massage over the weekend, and apparently it was desperately needed. The therapist told me, in not so many words, that the front of my right shoulder has more knots than a six-year-old's shoelace. (I'm a sucker for cheesy similes, if you haven't noticed.) This wasn't news to me - between my fifty-pound gym bag (sadly, I'm only half kidding) and my near-neurotic passion for delt training, I'm somewhat surprised that I haven't completely ruined my shoulders.

That being said, I'm pretty stubborn. Since shoulder days are the pride and joy of my training routine and I'm not technically injured, I decided to alter this week's press- and raise-fest to help even out my upper body.

My objectives:

a) To shift my focus to unilateral and alternating sets in the hopes of evening out my strength differences and

b) To perform more exercises for my rear delts, as I tend to lay it on thick when it comes to the front and lateral aspects.

Intrigued? Here is yesterday's exercise line-up, but first one quick note: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV; this is my own routine, and while I hope it will inspire you, if you are having issues with your shoulders or any other part of your body, get your bad self to a doctor ASAP. (Seriously, go now...but feel free to finish reading this entry first, of course.)

Superset One (performing one set of each move back-to-back, then resting for one minute)

Alternating dumbbell shoulder presses; 12 reps each arm

Alternating dumbbell front raises; 12 reps each arm

Three supersets total

Superset Two:

Unilateral dumbbell lateral raise, sweeping toward the front, then lowering; 12 reps on right arm, then switch to left

Bilateral standing dumbbell bent over rear-delt flyes (wow, that's a mouthful); 12 reps

Three supersets total

Finisher move:

Cable face pulls (perhaps better known as high rows) with rope attachment*; 15 reps, four sets, 30 seconds rest between

*Here's how: Standing in front of a high pulley with the rope attached, stagger your legs for balance. With hands together, pull the rope toward your head, opening your arms and retracting your shoulder blades until the middle of the rope is only a few inches away from your nose. Slowly reverse and repeat; switch forward leg with each set.

And that, friends, is how I spent my lunch break. How are you going to move today?