Change When You Don’t Want To

October 26, 2015October 26, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Have you ever faced a situation where you KNOW that you have to change something in order to get where you want to be, but you just can’t muster up the willpower to make the change?

Sure you do.

I would say that most of the time when you are faced with a problem or something that you need to overcome, you have a fairly good idea what needs to be done to address those issues. But there is a factor of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of being uncomfortable, fear of a different routine, fear of a million different things.

Or maybe there is a factor of laziness. Knowing that the change you need to make takes a lot of work and you just don’t want to put in the hours or manpower.

Perhaps there is a factor of the impossible. There is no way you can make the change because to you it is utterly impossible. You can’t see a way around it, so why even try?

I’ve been there plenty of times. I’ve been afraid of making a change, don’t want to make a change, and felt like change is absolutely impossible. I’ve been stubborn and stuck to my trusty routine and done nothing. And you know what that got me?

Nowhere.

Sure, change is painful, difficult, and scary. But change also is wonderful, enlivening, and moves you forward. If you want to be or do something different, if you want to reach your goals, you’re going to have to change. My high school band director used to tell us all the time, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That has always stuck with me.

So how do you change when you don’t want to? Here are a few things that I do when I know that I need to change but it isn’t coming easy.

Figure out why

Why don’t I want to change? Once I know the motive for staying where I am, then I can come up with a plan to counteract that motive. Most often for me, it’s the fact that I’ve become comfortable with where I am.

Make a list of ideas

I love lists. They keep me organized, help to see what I still have to do and what I’ve already finished. Once you’ve figured out your why, make a list of a few things that you can do to change your habits or routine to start moving in a different direction.

Choose one

Pick one thing to work on, just one. You don’t have to take on the whole list. That can be a little daunting. Choose a small change that you can make and work on that until it becomes your new habit, then move on to the next thing on your list.

Don’t beat yourself up

You’re going to fail at some point. That sounds harsh, but it’s completely realistic and totally alright. We all fail and if we were perfect, life wouldn’t be any fun at all. The important thing to remember when you do fail is to not beat yourself up. You are trying and that is the most you can ask of yourself. Trying and failing is better than never doing anything at all. Pick yourself up and get right back at it.

Taking that first step and admitting that you have to change is a difficult one. It can take you awhile to get to that point, but the important thing is that you get to that point. Writing this post is just as much for me as it is for you. Sometimes I need a little push in the right direction to start making the changes in my life that I know will lead me to my goals.

Yup, change is scary and trust me I resist it as much as the next person. But when it comes to my health and happiness as well as yours, isn’t being a little scared yet still taking that leap of faith worth it in the end?

I think so.

Rock What You Got

October 12, 2015October 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I’m going to have you do a little homework before you read this post. Oh stop moaning, it’s not that hard.

I want you to listen to this song:

Did you listen? Good. I’m trusting that you did.

I have listened to Superchick for years and in fact, I have heard this song a good 50 times before. But as I was out running about the other day, this song came on and it kind of hit me in a new light.

Rock what you got.

I have spent a lot of time trying to change things about me so that I can “rock it”. I focus on what needs to be fixed or adjusted to get to a point where I feel like I am worthy of being awesome.

That’s not cool.

I have been given everything that I need to rock. There are so many awesome things about me that no one else has, and I’m doing myself a disservice if I don’t choose to rock what I’ve got.

I’m not saying that I don’t want to improve myself or do things to meet new goals. It’s ok to rock what you have right at this moment while working to achieve other things. Be proud of YOU every single second of the day. That pride and encouragement, even if it just comes from you alone, can help push you forward.

So how about it? I’m making a pledge to start rocking everything I got.

My ability to push myself at the end of a long run? Rocking it.

My willingness to try a new or difficult yoga pose even if I faceplant? Rocking it.

My desire to help serve others in the best way I know how? Rocking it.

My hope to accomplish new goals and dreams? Rocking it.

You don’t have to wait until you think you have what it takes to rock it. Start now, this very second. You have everything you need in this moment. Even if you don’t feel that way, act like you do. I bet pretty soon you won’t have to be faking it.

Have an awesome Monday and remember, rock what you got!

5 Things I Do When I’m Struggling With Bad Body Image

August 31, 2015August 31, 2015 / ktbuchs87

For some reason this weekend, I was having a tough time with my body. Every piece of clothing I put on felt awkward, I didn’t like the way I looked, and I felt like everyone was just staring at all of my flaws. It was not a very fun weekend to say the least.

As much as I would love to always be proud of my body and never struggle with these insecurities, I know that I will probably always have to work on body image. When I was younger, I would let these negative thoughts consume me. I literally thought that my body was ugly and all the problems I saw in the mirror were the only things that other people could see. These thoughts would rule my day, my mood, and how I viewed my worth. They dictated what I would say and think, whether I would speak up in class or if I would volunteer for something where people had to look at me. It was rough and I never thought much of myself. I just wanted to fade in the background and for the most part, I did.

With a lot of time and work, I have pushed past that younger version of myself. No one gets to determine my worth based on my looks, not even myself. I understand so much more about my body and know that just because I see something in the mirror doesn’t mean it’s true in real life.

But there are still days when the struggle is real. Days when I want to go back to hiding in my shell. Days when no matter what, the reflection I see does not match what is actually there. I’m sure every once in awhile, you have those days too. Days when you doubt whether you are beautiful, capable, or even worthy. What you do on those days can make you stronger or keep tearing you down. So here are five things I do when I struggle with bad body image. Hopefully, these can help you or give you some motivation to find ways to move past the lies you might be telling yourself about your own body.

1. I realize they are lies

Most often, the reason I have a “bad body” day is that I feel like I have gained a ridiculous amount of weight. The logical part of my brain knows this isn’t true. There is no way that one meal can make you gain 10 pounds and you don’t wake up one day suddenly overweight. But the logical part of my brain doesn’t always rule my day. While I might feel overweight and insecure, I tell myself that it is a lie. What I see in the mirror isn’t true. My habits are overall healthy and I won’t suddenly just backslide. I might not believe this at first, but actually physically telling myself that it is a lie helps to get me back on track.

2. I try something new

This might sound weird, but trying something new really helps me get out of my funk. Usually, I try a new yoga pose that I haven’t been able to do before or an exercise that I struggle with. By doing something new, I get my mind off the woe is me/I’m ugly mentality. Many times I end up surprising myself by doing something that I didn’t think I could do. Even if I can’t get into a new pose or still struggle with that tough exercise, the fact that I tried and tried to improve myself helps me feel more confident with my body.

3. Look at where I started

I have come a long way from Jr. high/high school Katie. Looking back at that time, I realize that I am a completely different and better person. On the days when it feels like I am right back where I started, just taking out pictures from that time proves me completely wrong. I know I have done a lot of work to get to this point and reminding myself of that helps me see how strong and capable I have become.

4. I talk about it

I am a private person and I tend to keep things bottled up inside. I let my negative thoughts eat away at me and they never fail to bring me down. While it’s still hard for me to open up and share, talking about it helps let that negativity out. Sharing things with someone you trust gets things off your chest and shows you that some of those things just aren’t true. Even writing this post helps me push past my doubt and uncertainty and stops negative talk in it’s tracks.

5. I understand it will pass

I won’t let my negative thoughts persist anymore. They might have ruled my life before, but I refuse to let that happen again. I know that this bad day is one day and it will pass. There will be good days again, days where I see how strong I am, how capable I have become, and how beautiful I truly am. I can’t dwell on these insecure thoughts or else they will take over. I acknowledge that I have had a bad day and now it is over and I will do my best to move on. It isn’t always easy, but I know I can do it.

Next time you are faced with body image issues, try a few of these things. Or find something that works for you. The most important advice I can give you is to not let these issues consume you. Don’t let them take over. You are better and stronger than they are and you can and will get to a place where you see your beauty and worth!

How To Offer Support

November 19, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I often talk about how I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the support of my family and friends. It is especially helpful to have a great support system when you decided to be healthier. It’s good to have people around you who will keep you accountable, pick you up when you fall down, and offer encouragement when you want to quit. I’m sure most of you can think of one person who is always there for you and ready to help no matter what. Here is my question for the day, do you give support back? As great as it is to receive support, it’s just as important to give support to others. Here are some good ways to give support to others who want to be healthier, as well as a few things NOT to do.

Don’t force it

Giving support is great, but sometimes it’s unwanted. Have you ever been working out at the gym and a stranger comes up to give you tips or tell you what you’re doing wrong? I’m sure they think that they are helping, but most of the time it’s just annoying and you want them to leave ASAP. Don’t be that person when being supportive. You might think that you are helping, but if the person really doesn’t want your support you’re just being annoying. Don’t force support onto anyone who clearly doesn’t want it.

Be gentle

You don’t need to be the crazy coach screaming in someones face trying to motivate them to be better. Sometimes it’s better to be the calm and gentle anchor for someone. When people decide to be healthier, many times their lives and routines are thrown into chaos. Suddenly they are eating a different way, exercising perhaps for the first time ever, and things can seem crazy. The last thing they need right at the beginning is a crazy friend yelling at them and telling them they are going to be unhealthy forever if they quit. Lend a listening ear when they have their struggles, offer advice if you have it, and reassure them that they can do this. These methods will work much better and actually help.

Know your audience

On the flip side of this, some of us work better with the tough love approach. We’re all different and different things work better to support us. Find out the best way to offer your support. I recently found out that my husband likes when I push him when we workout together, so make sure you know the best way to help.

Don’t make it just about you

This is one that I have to watch out for. Because I have gone through my own journey to get healthier, it is so easy to turn everything around and say how I did things. While it’s good to be able to give support and advice based on our own experiences, realize that this is about the other person not you. They are going through their own unique experiences, and while it might be similar to yours respect their journeys. If you find yourself starting every sentence with, “Well when I was doing…”, try to work on finding out how they’re going about things and offering advice when warranted.

Build them up

Probably the biggest thing you can do is to build others up. Eating better and exercising more and improving your health is hard and can have a tendency to break people down. There will be days that you just don’t want to do this anymore and those are the days that having a great support system really helps. When someone comes to you ready to throw in the towel, help show them how far they have come and all that they have accomplished. Tell them how proud you are that they have chosen to take better care of themselves. Motivate them to keep going and do what you can to help them pick themselves back up.

I know that I wouldn’t be where I am today without support from other people. I want to be able to help others the way that I have been helped and offering support is a kind of a way to pay it forward. Because I have gotten such great support I know how crucial it is to succeeding, so do what you can to help be that important influence in someone else’s life.

Sorry for not having a post on Monday, but I spent the whole weekend in bed with a fever and just general miserableness. I hope that you guys had better weekend and are staying warm with this early blast of winter. I will see you guys on Friday!

All About the Presentation

October 21, 2013 / ktbuchs87

As a health blogger, I view my posts as possible guidelines for someone who may or may not know a whole lot about being healthier. Maybe they are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, maybe they are looking for different ways to live healthier, or maybe they just want to see other people’s opinions on a certain topic to make an educated decision about their own life. I am very conscious of the way that I present my views and opinions because I know that they can be integral in someone’s journey to a better life. Lately, I have noticed that other people in the health world might not have this same view.

I started noticing this on my Instagram account. I follow mostly health bloggers/enthusiasts/chefs/anything to do with food and every once and awhile I would see a post bashing a certain food/way of eating. The post would have a picture of some type of food (usually processed food like Oreos) and then state something along the lines of, “I can’t believe anyone can eat this junk”. I will be the first one to tell you that I don’t think processed food does anybody any good. I will also be the first to tell you that you’re not a bad person for eating those foods, nor do you need to feel guilty. Shaming anyone into a better lifestyle doesn’t work and most times has the opposite effect.

For the most part, people know when they don’t lead a healthy lifestyle. They know when they eat food that is not good for their health. What they don’t know perhaps is how to change, and making them feel badly about themselves is not going to get them to make a change. I would like to believe that the majority of health professionals out there genuinely want to help people be as healthy as possible, I know I do. The health community needs to make sure that rather than shunning people for eating poorly or not making the best health decisions, they need to understand it’s hard to make a big change. They need to remember when they first started their own health journey and the struggles they went through to get where they are today. Most people don’t just magically become super healthy overnight. It is a slow and gradual process with plenty of setbacks I still have to work at it each day. When I first started out, if someone had shamed me about the food I ate or all the exercise I should be doing but wasn’t or couldn’t I would have quit. No one wants to feel bad about themselves even more than they already do. They don’t need people to point out their downfalls, they need people to help them up and show them the way.

That’s why the health world needs to not just focus on the message of better choices, but on how they present that message as well. We need to be welcoming and understanding and let others know that they are not alone in their struggles. Ever heard the saying it’s easier to attract bees with honey rather than vinegar? That same message applies to the world of health. Those just starting out or looking to become healthier, don’t need our bitter or angry put downs. They need words of kindness and encouragement. They need to know they can do this and that we are here to help. If we follow that philosophy, maybe more and more people can join us in leading healthier lifestyles. That’s the whole point right?