Beach Body or Healthy Body

May 15, 2013 By Sara Buxton Leave a Comment

As the weather starts to warm up, the side walks become more crowded and plans of boating, beaching, and vacationing are added to the calender, a small sense of anxiety creeps in about putting on a bathing suit. Its the season of last minute dieting and crunch time (no pun intended) for getting “fit”. As health is our primary mission as practitioners for our clients and ourselves, we too can get caught in the madness of what our real goal is. Health has a different definition for each individual but things that can make it blurry are numbers on the scale, how clothes you love look on others, what we see in the mirror, “health” tips…from pintrest, facebook, twitter etc. Why is it so hard to aim for healthy and so easy to set our sights and expectations for slim, skinny, and the unreachable perfect?

We propose a challenge. This summer, lets set our focus towards action, socially responsible causes that make us feel good, engaging in fun social events, becoming mindful about nutrition and fitness. Overall lets respect our bodies and find comfort, meditation, and enjoyment in our emotional, physical and mental health.

Here is what is on our TO DO list:

Volunteer
Participate in an organized charitable event (races, obstacle courses, walks, city initiatives)
Get at least 30 minutes of activity in a day
Eat for fuel and nutritional value (no crazy restrictions or pills needed, just food from mother earth!)
Soak up some Vitamin D
Take time to breathe, relax, and meditate
Constantly evaluate and set short and long term goals ( and write them down, or tell a friend!)
Ask for help
Reflect on the positive
Find comfort in uncomfort- take risks and seek the reward (sometimes a sense of accomplishment can feel like a million bucks).

We want to feel good about ourselves; we want to be our ideal size, weight, have healthy relationships, eat right, and sleep right. Unfortunately there is not one way. Life can be lived focused on a beach body or your beach body can come from enjoying an active, healthy and fulfilled lifestyle.

Filed Under: Exercise, nutrition, Stress and Relaxation

Ragnar Relay: Cape Cod 2013

May 7, 2013 By Sara Buxton Leave a Comment

12 runners, 192 miles, 2 days, no sleep.

What an experience. I can confidently say I will definitely do this again.

I participated in the Cape Cod Ragnar Relay this past weekend. I went into the weekend with butterflies and no idea what to expect. I was excited to experience a new world of running with a team of my friends and friends of friends. Our team was a mixture of runners, athletes, and non-runners. We surpassed all of our own expectations and were the fifth team to cross the finish line. Our time was 24:51:40.

A Ragnar is a distance relay race, conquered by a team of 6 (Ultras) or a team of 12. This race started in Hull, MA and circled the cape all the way up to Provincetown. On a team of 12, each runner runs three separate legs of the race, all different distances. There are two vans, one with the first six runners and another with the last six. There are 36 exchanges where runners exchange by the passing of a slap bracelet. The vans follow the runners, stop to cheer, and drop off the next runner at the following exchange. The vans meet at exchanges 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 to start the next legs.

Just me, the road, and the woods

The best part about it?… It was another one of my “personal research projects”- running is almost 95% mental. I had known the length of my legs for months leading up to the race, I had looked over a training guide, but never followed it. My training consisted of running at least three times a week and trying to get in a long one once a week. I became more nervous as it approached but all I was excited about was the experience, the team, and knew when it came down to it I would be too competitive to let the team down. Which is exactly what happened. I didn’t run with music, I sung songs in my head; I focused on the finish, someone was there waiting for me and depending on me; I had a team dedicated to cheering me on, even when I couldn’t see them I knew they were rooting for me; I focused on runners ahead of me and challenged myself to pass them; I was in it for fun, but I wanted to see how far I could push myself. Most of all I was able to re focus my attention to the environment, I wanted to soak up where I was, my ability to finish, my appreciation of the team that was with me, and the camaraderie of all the Ragnars participating.

MY LEGS

Our team had a 9:30 am start, but my first run started around 4:15pm. I was in the 2nd van so we did not start till exchange 6. My first run was 8.8 miles and 4 of the miles were on a highway (no van support). Around my fourth mile a man with a South African accent slowly passed me and told me he had been trying to catch me for some time. He stayed within 50 yards in front of me for the rest of the time. As I approached the “1 mile left” sign I shouted to him, “finish strong!”. He became my “rabbit”. He was the target I was aiming to reach and with the help of his encouragement to catch up I was able to meet him and sprint the last mile. My next leg was 5.6 miles and started around 12:02 when my teammate made it to the exchange after her 5.6 mile run. It was a completely different run- pitch black, head lamp on my head, reflective vest, colder weather, less runners in my route, and physically my legs felt numb. I focused on finishing the whole time. I counted my feet, “1, 2, 1, 2” as they hit the ground. I couldn’t see mush ahead of me so I focused on the ground lit in my headlamp and visualized my foot strokes making the next 5 feet visible. I had some rest and by 7:15(ish) my teammate finished her 3rd leg and I was off on my 7.2 uphill run. I caught myself saying how miserable it was but when it came I reframed. My legs became mechanical and I pictured flipping a switch to make the machine run, took the challenge of the hill as if it were my last obstacle before I could say I completed the Ragnar. I looked around to all the coniferous forest surrounding me and was so grateful to be able to experience a new place. I went through the girls’ stories from Girl Rising, and ran for each of them. It was a long uphill climb and the downhill hurt more physically, but once I made it to the 1 mile mark I let my legs take over.

Fifth team to cross the finish line!

GET OUT AND EXPERIENCE

It’s amazing how many games you can play in your head before you find the zone. But its a great question to always ask yourself what or who do you run for? I am so grateful for my legs, my team, and my experience. I will definitely be looking into more Ragnars and more adventures. My “research” experience continues to help me develop personally, physically, and professionally.

Filed Under: Exercise, Sport Events, Stress and Relaxation Tagged With: mental games, races, ragnar, running, sport psychology

Girl Rising

April 30, 2013 By Sara Buxton Leave a Comment

Dr. Pecora and I were very fortunate to be a part of the showing of Girl Rising at Resurrection Prep High School hosted by Girls in the Game and Peggy Kisinski last weekend. It was an emotionally charging experience. The film featured 9 girls from 9 different countries. Their stories are inspiring, heart-wrenching, and almost unbelievable. Watching the film we experienced a roller coaster of emotions from sadness, pain, and grief, to feelings of hope, motivation, and passion for creating a change. It was amazing to see the amount of commitment and perseverance each one of these girls exhibits in their fight for freedom. It is easy to take for granted small things like a dishwasher, a roof, a clean restroom, a ride to school, and the freedom to wear certain clothes. We don’t always appreciate a hug, a smile, or the everyday phone call from a family member. The girls in this film tell their stories of being bonded into labor at three years old, forced to working from sunrise till whenever work was completed. There are girls in the film unable to share their identity, as they still live their lives masked by their robes with no room for their mouths to speak. Amina, in particular, from Afghanistan is confined to her small woven hole in her gown and expected only to serve men; she was sold to marriage and had her first son at the age of 13.

The statistics are mind-blowing. Educating a girl increases not only knowledge but self-esteem, the likelihood of a career, a family, but most importantly a healthy and happy future for the entire world. Education promotes development and safety.

Although the film did not feature any American girls, the issues are very well prevalent in our country and in our own city of Chicago. Girls in the Game provides sports, leadership, nutrition and career and health education to girls in Chicago who do not have the resources or adequate support to be active, healthy, and pursuing healthy futures. There are neighborhoods where it is unsafe to go outside, parents struggling to provide the right education, poor eating due to lack of funds for healthier options, and low self-esteem caused by little social support.

In our work with girls, women, and all of our clients we have been able to witness this charging motivation and commitment to creating personal change. In her very recent research with obesity, Dr. Pecora had uncovered many of the same internal incentives to weight control that we see in the girls in this film. According to the Sport Commitment Model by Scanlan defined commitment as a psychological construct reflecting the resolve to persist in an endeavor over time. Each of the girls portrayed in this film were committed to achieve freedom, obtain an education, and follow their dreams others deemed impossible for them. In Dr. Pecora’s research she found a similar characteristic among obese participants in an immersion therapy program for weight loss. Success opened doors and morevaluable opportunities are available when the individuals were able to lose weight. Losing weight raised their confidence, their awareness of their own capabilities, and also respect from the society. Therefore it was more negative reinforcement that nurtured the decision of a healthy lifestyle as these participants didn’t want to be bullied anymore, didn’t want to be part of a “fat camp”, and didn’t want to experience all the other painful emotions, lack of social support and empathy that comes with being overweight.

While being driven by negativity to control negative impulses does not sound like the most ideal, it proves that all are capable of persisting through adversity and overcoming impossible barriers towards a more self-fulfilling and happy life.

The link between the obesity epidemic and what seems like a war on girls throughout the world shows that the motivation to change can stem from experiencing negative consequences (bullying, disrespect, harsh environments). But also, a community effort to education, encourage and take action can promote positive change. Wouldn’t it be better if there was no such thing as a negative consequence to find motivation?

Lets take a vow to get involved with any small or large initiative to create healthy and positive change for the youth in the world. Without girls and without youth, there is no positive future.

Watch the trailer and look for showings near your, or host one! http://girlrising.com/

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The silver lining in fear of tragedy

April 16, 2013 By Sara Buxton 1 Comment

To the runners, the spectators, the people who keep training, and to all who want to start running, let this event motivate you to push further, dream bigger, and run. Push on for yourself, your comrades, and everyone struck with the same terror. Run for the victims, the runners that didn’t qualify, were injured, couldn’t make the trip to Boston. Most importantly continue to run for yourself and find peace in the freedom it brings you.

Whenever tragedy happens fear can become a larger part of our everyday lives. After the horrible event that struck the Boston marathon, Americans are left with an aftermath of fear, injury, death, and questions of why, how, who, and what’s next. This attack imposed on a unique event. The Boston marathon is an exclusive event, one that gives high ranks to qualifiers. It also an event that is worth seeing, setting goals for, and striving for with envy and passion for running and health.

It is truly amazing how quick we respond and come together. This event will mark another day in history where our nation becomes stronger. Allow yourself the time to process and grieve. Find solace in other runners and citizens experiencing the same fear. Let this be an opportunity of enlightenment and awareness in our ability to persevere. Push on for your health and happiness.

Filed Under: Sport Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: fear, health psychology, Motivation

CBT… works.

March 29, 2013 By Sara Buxton 2 Comments

A problem is a problem, but don’t let someone tell you there are no solutions or that you can’t make it better.

In a recent post from the New York Times (attached below), Harriet Brown brilliantly illustrates the under-utilization of cognitive and behavioral therapies.

Stress is personal and can be experienced in unique ways. Therapy has a tendency to be defined as talking, feeling, crying, being emotional, and telling your life story and on and on. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a broad concept of therapy with applicable interventions and evidenced based treatments. However, it seems CBT interventions are not utilized.

CBT is the approach of therapy emphasizing the impact of cognitive, behavioral and environmental factors in relation to psychological disorders. Okay so psychological disorder seems to be an extreme word, so how about we just say life’s problems. With more of an emphasis on perceptions, experience, and the physical environment, CBT seeks to modify evaluations, attitudes, underlying beliefs, and schemas in order to relieve pain caused by life’s problems. CBT places little emphasis on the “mental” concept as a causal role of cognitions and behavior and more on the cognitively constructed environment.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an amazingly effective tool to address any problem. Life’s struggles are unique, and while many argue that CBT interventions down play the therapeutic relationship the most important first step in CBT is to understand the problem through the eyes and experience of the client. Conceptualizations and intervention plans are discussed and adjusted with the client. Once there is a connection, the interventions of CBT require work, dedicated responsibility and accountability from both the client and the therapist. It is a tangible way of feeling and seeing progress. CBT offers an open environment to make adjustments and mistakes.

Revisiting the last post on self-awareness, the work of CBT is a journey towards greater self-awareness, as you are encouraged to look inside and take control of something you may have not realized you had given up. Consistent work with CBT has shown extreme improvements in self-discovery that have led to symptom relief of depression, anxiety, performance issues in sport and in life, relationships, and eating disorders. CBT offers a guide toward solutions. It seems to be more of a relief in the working relationship of client and therapist in CBT when the intervention is a collaborative production with the sole objection of positive life enhancement.

Looking for Evidence That Therapy Works

By HARRIET BROWN

Lars Leetaru

Mental-health care has come a long way since the remedy of choice was trepanation — drilling holes into the skull to release “evil spirits.” Over the last 30 years, treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and family-based treatment have been shown effective for ailments ranging from anxiety and depression to post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders.

The trouble is, surprisingly few patients actually get these kinds of evidence-based treatments once they land on the couch — especially not cognitive behavioral therapy. In 2009, a meta-analysis conducted by leading mental-health researchers found that psychiatric patients in the United States and Britain rarely receive C.B.T., despite numerous trials demonstrating its effectiveness in treating common disorders. One survey of nearly 2,300 psychologists in the United States found that 69 percent used C.B.T. only part time or in combination with other therapies to treat depression and anxiety.

C.B.T. refers to a number of structured, directive types of psychotherapy that focus on the thoughts behind a patient’s feelings and that often include exposure therapy and other activities.

Instead, many patients are subjected to a kind of dim-sum approach — a little of this, a little of that, much of it derived more from the therapist’s biases and training than from the latest research findings. And even professionals who claim to use evidence-based treatments rarely do. The problem is called “therapist drift.”

“A large number of people with mental health problems that could be straightforwardly addressed are getting therapies that have very little chance of being effective,” said Glenn Waller, chairman of the psychology department at the University of Sheffield and one of the authors of the meta-analysis.

A survey of 200 psychologists published in 2005 found that only 17 percent of them used exposure therapy (a form of C.B.T.) with patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, despite evidence of its effectiveness. In a 2009 Columbia University study, research findings had little influence on whether mental-health providers learned and used new treatments. Far more important was whether a new treatment could be integrated with the therapy the providers were already offering.

The problem is not confined to the United States. Two years ago, Dr. Waller studied C.B.T. therapists in Britain treating adults with eating disorders to see what specific techniques they used. Dr. Waller found that fewer than half did anything remotely like evidence-based C.B.T.

“About 30 percent did something like motivational work, and 25 percent did something like mindfulness,” said Dr. Waller. “You wouldn’t buy a car under those conditions.”

Why the gap? According to Dianne Chambless, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, some therapists see their work as an art, a delicate and individualized process that works (or doesn’t) based on a therapist’s personality and relationship with a patient. Others see therapy as a more structured process rooted in science and proven effective in both research and clinical trials.

“The idea of therapy as an art is a very powerful one,” she said. “Many psychologists believe they have skills that allow them to tailor a treatment to a client that’s better than any scientist can come up with with all their data.”

The research suggests otherwise. A study by Kristin von Ranson, a clinical psychologist at the University of Calgary, and colleagues published last year concluded that when eating-disorder clinicians did not use an evidence-based treatment or blended it with other techniques for a more eclectic approach, patients fared worse, compared with those who received a more standardized treatment.

Therapists who skew toward the “artistic” side say that so-called manualized treatment devalues crucial aspects of therapy like empathy, warmth and communication — the “therapeutic alliance.”

“If you want a patient to be using a treatment that works, what’s most likely to get them there is the relationship you build with them,” said Bonnie Spring, a professor of psychiatry at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine.

But some experts believe this is a false choice. “No one believes it’s a good idea to have a bad relationship with your client,” said Dr. Chambless. “The argument is really more, ‘Is a good relationship all we need to help a patient?’ ”

Besides, evidence-based treatments like C.B.T. still require expertise, clinical judgment and skill from practitioners, noted Terry Wilson, a professor of psychology at Rutgers University. “A stereotype of manualized treatment is: you go buy a book and it’s a rigid, lock step thing,” he said. “But when done competently, it’s anything but.”

Differences in background and education play a role in a therapist’s perspective on evidence-based treatment. “You can become a therapist with very little training in how to think scientifically,” said Carolyn Becker, a professor of psychology at Trinity University in San Antonio. Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers and other mental-health professionals complete years of rigorous schooling and apprenticeships, but it is possible to practice therapy without such a foundation.

“A lot of students come in and say, ‘I hate science, but I’m good with people. I like to listen and help them,’ ” said Dr. Becker. There is little incentive for therapists to change what they are doing if they believe it works. But “every clinician overestimates how well they’re doing,” said Dr. Spring. Often patients simply feel they can’t tell a therapist when things aren’t going well.

“A lot of times, therapists just don’t know,” Dr. Chambless said. “People will say, ‘Thank you, I’m fine now, goodbye,’ and go into a different therapy.”

Despite the gap between research and practice, some experts are cautiously optimistic. Dr. Wilson believes mental health practitioners, especially younger clinicians, are slowly moving toward more evidence-based treatments. He pointed to a parallel shift among physicians that took place, he said, when medicine committed itself to science rather than to producing medical artists or gurus.

“As a field, clinical psychology needs to do the same thing,” he said. “We need to commit ourselves to science.”

Need to find a therapist well-grounded in the latest research? Experts recommend interviewing prospective providers before starting therapy, especially if you are looking for a specific type of treatment. Useful questions include:

¶What kind of trainings have you done, and with whom?

¶What professional associations do you belong to? (If you’re looking for a C.B.T. therapist, for instance, ask whether the therapist belongs to theAssociation for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, where most top C.B.T. researchers are members.)

¶What do you do to keep up on the research for treating my condition?

¶How do you know that what you do in treatment works?

¶Do you consider yourself and your approach eclectic? (Therapists who subscribe to an eclectic approach are less likely to adhere to evidence-based treatments.)

¶What manuals do you use?

¶What data can you show me about your own outcomes?

“A clinician who can’t tell you how many patients get well isn’t going to care that much if you get well,” said Dr. Waller.

A version of this article appeared in print on 03/26/2013, on page D4 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Shift in Mental Health Care Is Slow.

Filed Under: Cognitive-behavior therapy, Counseling, Performance enhancement, Psychological disorders, Therapy

Thought about yourself lately?

March 28, 2013 By Sara Buxton 1 Comment

Sorry for the delay in blog posts… I’ve been thinking about myself.

Is that self-centered?

My biggest challenge to my clients and myself is enhancing positive self-awareness. With self-awareness comes a deeper respect of your own ability, knowledge, support, and great potential. Positive self-awareness is the gift of complete confidence to go forth. Compliments, praise, and pats on the back from others are motivating. We give others encouragement and compliments to help them achieve their goals but why is it so hard to tell ourselves these things? Individually, we are our own greatest asset.

Why fit in when you were born to stand out? – Dr. Seuss (we love the guy…)

Some of us go through our days with lists, scheduled appointments and responsibilities. Many of our tasks are set to autopilot and don’t need to be written down anymore, and sometimes we schedule our biological needs and sometimes we don’t. How many of us set a reminder to check in with our emotional, mental, and physical state, and then say “hey, you’re doing great”, to ourselves?

The journey of enhancing positive self-awareness can and will last a lifetime. Self-awareness is something to consistently work on. There are times we second guess eating alone in a restaurant, asking a stranger for help, calling an old friend, telling someone we love them, signing up for a physical challenge, working out, eating healthy or unhealthy, or applying for a position for fear we aren’t good enough. We stop ourselves from dancing, singing, stating our own opinion, or telling our story for fear of judgment and failure. Would you tell your best friend they couldn’t do it when they aren’t confident about taking a risk? We do not talk to ourselves as we would our peers, but we CAN.

In order to gain and practice self-awareness you have to work. It’s easy to put self-care aside to make sure the people around us our happy- our bosses, our family members, partners, friends, and even our most hated nemeses. Make time to reflect on your goals and dreams. Take time to breathe, it is the essence of your being. Slow down and check in with how the people you spend most time with make you feel. Find activities that make you feel good and healthy, and do them, a lot. Focus on what you do have. Remind yourself of all your accomplishments, even the small ones- remember how excited everyone was when you started crawling, walking, talking, first time you wrote your name, first day of school, first chapter book you read…? Remember to take pride in your small victories and celebrate them. Challenge yourself by doing something new once in a while.

Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

By increasing our positive self-awareness we can physically enhance our productivity toward our goals.

Stay tuned on how positive thinking actually changes your brain chemistry…

Books to read:

Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel

“Promise Yourself…

To be so strong that nothing

can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity

to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel

that there is something in them

To look at the sunny side of everything

and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,

and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others

as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past

and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times

and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself

that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,

and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,

not in loud words but great deeds.

To live in faith that the whole world is on your side

so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”

-C. Larson

Filed Under: Cognitive-behavior therapy, Stress and Relaxation, Uncategorized Tagged With: health, postitive, reflection, self-awareness, self-monitoring

One size cannot fit all.

March 17, 2013 By Sara Buxton 2 Comments

I have spent the last ten years of my life physically training, mentally preparing, and exploring the world of nutrition for races, competitions, games, professional and personal development. In my “research” the most difficult challenge is seeking truth and the right program leading to the best results for my goals. I also constantly wonder when the “health craze” will no longer be a craze but a way of life for a majority of the world.

I find myself eaves dropping on the latest “best paleo meal”, “super foods” discussions, “the best burn, barre workout ever”, a “quick trick”, fast “fix”, “best results”, “juice cleanse”, that “actually works”! How many times do we have to put ourselves through misery before we find happiness with ourselves amongst all the chaos and chatter of what works?

As we battle through the headlines and celebrity answers there are certified professionals claiming they know what is best. More likely than not it is the professionals with the credentials that will persuade us their way is the only way to be healthy.

At a recent health promotion event the objective of raising awareness for disease prevention and spreading the word on healthy living was masked by professionals gloating about their products and programs, but more so themselves. Humans are constantly changing and growing, its not possible to have a definitive end to all means. New disease is found everyday. Records are broken all the time, and there is always a heroic underdog story, so how can we say one way is the right way

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin

One size does not fit all. As humans, there is not one body that is exactly similar to the other. Even identical twins carry out different thought processes, flock to different interests, and have relationships with different people. Today the words fix, trick, and diet can grab the attention of anyone looking for quick results. Credentials and degrees can easily persuade us even when we have no idea what they mean. The world of marketing is impressive and as we become more aware of our health, the market for health products, activities, and promotions has started to become overwhelmingly confusing. It is important to look out for yourself

(Disclaimer: Even this blog post is written from one perspective).

Be open to other ideas, but do not take them as exclusive solutions
Continue to work on self-awareness. Know thyself and be confident with your goals in order to find the lifestyle the fits for you
Consult with a doctor you trust and are comfortable with.
Make sure you are seeking credible research

Tips for assessing the credibility of online information

Does the Web site provide references for research that can be independently verified?
Are authors identified? Are their affiliations, credentials, and contact information provided?
Who owns or is responsible for the Web site? Is a physical address and complete contact information provided?
Does the site describe its mission? Are staff members identified?
Does the site carry advertising? If it is run by a not-for-profit organization, are its sources of funding identified?
Is the site professional in appearance and quality? How recently has it been updated? Is it free from typographical and grammatical errors?
Based on Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility.

In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.

Charles Darwin

As a practice specializing in sport and health, at CBM wee to keep our minds and eyes open for new research, we must remain adaptable and accepting to new findings and experience. It would be ignorant to have one method to apply to everyone’s challenges. We work to understand each of our clients individually through their unique experiences, perspectives, developments, challenges, and skill sets. And at the end of the day we grow more aware of the overwhelming health market that could turn anyone’s tail in between their legs.

Its important to remember that we are an ever changing culture. Through growth and new discoveries we find more risk but also breakthroughs leading us to develop further hypotheses. Health is a constant priority, not a trend or craze to focus on and then forget. There are infinite ways to address health, thanks to the complex brain we have developed. We must be capable of collaborating for most efficient and effective terms of creating solutions for each other to promote our ideal healthy world.

Filed Under: Exercise, nutrition, Obesity

Challenging Ourselves in 2013: Training the Trainer

March 11, 2013 By Kristina Pecora 1 Comment

I first took up distance running in 2007, when I signed up for my first half-marathon. Everyone was doing it back then, and I had caught the running bug simply by living in Chicago and watching so many happy people along the lakefront. I began training with a local running group, and absolutely loved the challenge of waking up early and pushing myself to go further and further…for fun!

I learned to rely on my group to push me, and soon found that running more than 6 miles by myself was just plain boring. I relished in the social environment of my running group, and began pacing for them, leading others and helping them achieve their race time goals. It was a lot like my profession, of course, where I help people change their lives and be healthier, happier human beings by changing key behaviors, and I found real personal satisfaction in my hobby.
I moved away from Chicago – and therefore my running group – for a time, and found the challenge of training for longer distances on my own more difficult than I was prepared to face, considering all the other major changes I was experiencing at the time. I gradually ran less and less, as my enjoyment of the difficulty in the intense physical challenge decreased. I moved back to Chicago, but I was so embarrassed by my decreased ability that I hesitated to jump back in with my group; I ran the marathon in 2011 with barely any training and ended up injured and even more discouraged. By 2012, I no longer considered myself a runner.
This past Christmas, my brother offered a challenge: Run Chicago with him in October 2013. I had convinced him to run the marathon in 2011 with me, and he had done amazingly where I had finished-but-faltered. I’d been wondering what could get me back into running, and he is a convincing guy! So I agreed…and then the mental battle began.

Yes, I’m worried about my body and how I’m going to train it up to run, the long hours I know it takes to be that physically fit, and the thought and energy put toward managing my nutrition and sleep – habits that I’ve allowed to change quite a bit since falling out of running. I’m most worried about my mental game, however, as I’ve already experienced the self-doubt and trepidation that plagues so many athletes embarking on such a challenge. And because I do what I do – health and behavior change, performance enhancement, focusing on the psychology of all this – I KNOW what I have to do to succeed. My point is, its hard even for me – training (or re-training) the trainer – to get into shape!

I’ve been consistently running since December now, gradually increasing my mileage. And I’ve joined my running group again to foster the social support I know I’ll need. I’m happy to fight the mental battles here, too, to illustrate that even us behavioral change professionals need help in achieving our goals. I run and I work at this kind of self-improvement because I know the rewards are so powerful, so tangible, and so worth it.

So, how will you challenge yourself in 2013? What long-term goals are you working toward, knowing they are worth it? I encourage you to share them here, as I’m sharing with you.
I wish us all the best of luck!

Kristina
kristina@chicagocbm.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: commitment, goal setting, health psychology, marathons, running, training

Write it down.

March 6, 2013 By Sara Buxton Leave a Comment

Just write it down…

But I’m not a writer and I’m not into feelings

When we are asked to journal, some automatically think, “Dear diary”, what would I write, and how is writing going to improve my performance? There is no proven method behind journaling, however it can act as a self- manager, a monitor or a cleansing system. As athletes, students, business workers, and weight controllers, journaling drives commitment, motivation, and manages stress levels to help evaluate progress and goal setting.

For business- Monitoring stress, time, and accomplishments makes progress and balance achievable, while breathing easier.

For athletes: Monitoring small achievements, nutrition intake, and physical training gives us a foundation to work with, progress to follow, and keeps us disciplined and committed to achieving our goals for optimum levels of performance.

For weight controllers: Self-monitoring has shown to be the most effective way to keep us honest and committed to our healthy lifestyles. By self-monitoring our progress it is easier to plan meals, stay on track of our goals, and feel good about our efforts.

The Self-Manager:

It seems our days and weeks get busier and busier as thoughts fill our minds with what we think we should be doing. Procrastination is easy and almost expected when our tasks seem endless. Writing things down as a to-do list is a good first step to managing time efficiently. Writing things down in a calendar is the next step for making things time bound, or giving them a deadline. Then there’s the smart phone or device we all have with the free calendar and task list. Writing things down in a paper calendar, mobile device, or computer subconsciously reminds us that something that needs to be done. The key to self-managing is reducing stress and getting things done on time. Whether or not someone else made the deadline- you determine when it gets done. Managing yourself with journaling gives you more control and also allows you to keep a clearer vision of your progress with your personal and professional goals.

Write down the goal (project, assignment, tournament, weight class, championship, skill)
Put a date and time on it
Set a reminder- day in advance, week, or hours
Tell someone else
Give yourself credit for completing… crossing it off counts.

* Self-managing can also involve remembering our ideas. Here’s a nifty tool to add some organization and boost motivation to get something done.

http://www.actionmethod.com/methodology

The Self-Monitor

Similar to managing, monitoring in a journal helps us stay on track, keep track, evaluate, and adjust our goals.

First step is the goal

In order to make a full commitment its important to consider the positives and negatives, the challenges and the rewards to expect, and the resources you have. Most importantly what is your action plan…. Writing all of these things down is a lot like a brainstorm. As you brainstorm the route, the plan, and the resources, dichotomously, more things may pop in your mind…. and then on to paper.

Second step is tracking:

Looking to manage your weight- Monitoring your daily food intake, physical exercise, maybe your sleep schedule, and grocery runs.
Enhance a certain skill: Monitor your practice time, jot down areas of strengths and areas to work on for next time, rate yourself
Run a marathon: Record your mileage, times, heart rate, physical feelings of progress (fatigue, flow…)
Track progress with numbers, set realistic standards and evaluate with rankings or ratings of how you feel in your timeline

Third step is finding the time to do all of this:

If you are a planner… write out your plan before bed
Five minutes after lunch while digesting: jot it down, type it into your notes or tracking app (myfitnesspal.com, gomeals.com…there are a ton out there)
Time before bed to journal?

The Cleansing System

Regurgitate, revamp and revitalize.

Journaling our thoughts and feelings is the easiest way for us to get out anything weighing us down (whether we are aware of it or not). Good or bad day, there is usually something to unload. An easy way to start is just by grabbing a pen and putting it to paper. Or if you are a computer person let the keys type out your random thoughts as they come. Start with anything and you may surprise yourself with where your thoughts go. This is one of the best ways to get something you haven’t been ale to be honest about off your chest. Journaling is a way to be yourself and say exactly how you feel… you can even rip up the page after you have written it.

What are your biggest dreams? Who bothered you at work today? How are your stress levels? What is that one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet? Schedule for tomorrow? What you wish you could do tomorrow? Just write…

YOUR JOURNAL=

Your best friend

Your coach

Your assistant

Your therapist

Your guru

Your goals and your action plans.

Your progress.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Live everyday, all day- Ryan Hawks

February 27, 2013 By Sara Buxton 1 Comment

Live easy, Live simply

Two years ago, one of the most amazing men in the world stepped out on Kirkwood Mountain in California to compete in the 2011 Freeride World Tour. Ryan Hawks is a name to know with values to live by. His values in life are vital guidelines, in which he followed without command from anyone but himself.

Live every day, all day; Never stop exploring life; Never lose my adventuresome attitude; Be the best friend I can be; Be the best brother, son, uncle I can be; Look out for others; Look out for myself; Look out for my surroundings; Be self-sufficient; Don’t be afraid to ask for help; Work hard; Live easy; Live simply.

Ryan Hawks exemplified passion, motivation, commitment, and excellence in all realms of his life. He devoted this to family, friends, and his love for the sport of skiing. Ryan left this world accomplishing another feat in the sport he loves (see story). His presence will continue to be grieved, but his story has something magnificent to share to the world. Whether you are an athlete, a musician, a teacher, business woman or man, designer, artist, humanitarian, foody, or lost on who you are, where you are going, and what drives you, Ryan’s values are a stellar guidebook to serve some solid direction and awareness of your own values.

In sport and health psychology, the objective is to guide individuals on their journey toward health, happiness, and self-awareness by achieving goals, conquering challenges and fears. ”Get rid of the idea of conquering the mountain, concentrate on cooperating with the mountain- Understand that the only person you have to impress is you.” Peter Hawks, Ryan’s father. As we set goals, train, work, educate, and aim to please its important to remember why we are doing it and what is the focus. Ryan had clear objectives. His values served as goals to conquer everyday in order to fulfill his life, his dreams, love and the happiness of those around him.

As we set goals we sometimes lose sight of our reason and therefore our self-awareness. For example, next time you go to the gym, check in with yourself, do you have something in mind that you will enjoy there (spin class, yoga, lifting, running?). Or are you going to cave to the dread of another workout and in fact, waste time waiting for the clock to move on the treadmill. Activity is meant to be fun and rewarding. When action is an indication of a process towards a larger outcome there is more purpose. For example, accomplishing the short-term goals brings us closer to the long term. The key to accomplishing our goals is setting specific and measurable short-term goals. For example in order to run a marathon one must accomplish a certain mileage everyday and add on every week. In order to master any skill practice is vital.

Action expresses priorities -Gandhi.

When we positively act on a goal, we become closer to our ideal. Sustaining our action is the hard part but with a list of values and things to do in this busy life, inspirations like Ryan Hawks remind us that it is possible.

Research shows giving creates happiness, and happiness contributes to a feeling of success. Service and justice is something we forget about in our relationships. Ryan lived his life to make others around him happy to be here. He lived now, always and everyday. Its easy to lose track of the present in the process of focusing on the future. Be here, now. It seems simple, yet the difficulty comes in our list of responsibilities. If we are able to clear five minutes of our time to check our Facebook than we are more than likely able to call a friend, tell people we care about them, and share a laugh now and then.

Ryan’s mentality and ability to light up the world is inspiring. His values of living are motives in which individuals and teams aim to achieve for ultimate success. These values are core principles to remind us all that with passion, motivation, and commitment to others and ourselves we are capable of achieving satisfying life goals.

Filed Under: adolescents, Exercise, Sport Events, Uncategorized Tagged With: commitment, Flyin Ryan, goal setting, Motivation, skiing, values

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