A new home for Kristen's Guide content about health, wellness, and life skills

Excuses Excuses

I cannot believe it has been over a year since I updated Kristen's Guide.  In Internet years, that's like dropping out for a decade.  I've been working hard in graduate school, studying mental health counseling and clinical psychophysiology, and have learned a lot that I want to share with my readers, but because I've been so busy, I haven't had time to design anything new or post any of the great information I've learned.

But Really, I Can Explain

Now, Kristen's Guide needs some serious updating.  I know you've noticed it too.  Many of my fans have been contacting me and wondering when I'll post new printables, calendars, checklists, articles, how-to guides, calculators, etc.  I've had several messages from people worried that Kristen's Guide was going offline.  I've even had multiple offers to sell it.  But, don't worry, it's sticking around.  However, rather than just updating things the same ol' way, I'm going to try something new.  Kristen's Guide will still have lots of great information about a wide variety of topics and free printables, and I will update it, but I'm also starting a new site: All Together Wellness at http://www.alltogetherwellness.com

Introducing All Together Wellness: A Health and Wellness Focused Site from the Creator of Kristen's Guide

The goal of All Together Wellness is to have a website/blog that has more specific wellness and health focused information along with life skills that everyone can use.  All other topics that don't fit into a wellness category (e.g. coding web pages and shopping guides) will still be on Kristen's Guide.  All Together Wellness will also be less focused on me personally, which will allow for guest posts from other experts and professionals instead of just having every post be,well, "Kristen's Guide to ...."  Plus, it will be database driven using flexible platforms, so we can expand it as needed.  For all you non-geeks out there, that means it can do more than the old Kristen's Guide website.  At All Together Wellness, in addition to having articles and printables, we could have life skills and wellness courses that you can enroll in online, forums for getting questions answered, and social networking so you can keep in touch with like-minded people through popular social sites like Facebook and Google+.  It will take some time, of course, to get everything up and running, but we're already posting new content, and it will continue to grow.

Local Resources Too

For those of you who live in or near Gresham, Oregon (East Portland Metro), on All Together Wellness you'll also find information about local health and wellness resources since we have quite a shortage of online resources for this area.

For those of you who live in other parts of the world, we'll do our best to put up national and international health and wellness resources that can help you get pointed in the right direction.

Grand Opening Tour Time!

So head over to All Together Wellness, take a look around, and let me know what you would like to see there.  Then subscribe to the feed or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to easily get updates.

See you there!

Spring is Coming! Get your running shoes. How to Start Jogging / Running.

Spring time is a great time to start jogging. The sun is coming out, the air is warming up, and the scenery is blooming. If you want to start running, I've updated my "How to Start Jogging" article based on feedback I've received from readers. (I've also included a couple of my own favorite personal running photos that I'm very proud to share.)

See it at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Exercise/how_to_start_jogging.asp

Don't forget to leave your feedback, so I can add more updates for you.

Waist to Height Ratio Fixed on the Weightloss Profile Calculator

For those of you waiting for me to fix the waist-to-height ratio calculation on the Weight Loss Profile Calculator... it's done!

Waist-to-Height Ratio (also known as Wt/Ht or WHtR or W/Ht) is very useful in predicting health problems from obesity.  Current studies show that for ideal weight-related health, you should keep your waist circumference less than 1/2 of your height while maintaining a healthy BMI range.

It sounds complicated, but it's easy to find out your ratio (and a bunch of other stuff) using my handy calculator.

Go to http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/weight_loss_profile_calculator.asp to check it out.

I've been learning a lot about physiology, psychophysiology, fitness, and weight loss.  I'll be sure to let everyone know the helpful information I find, so you can get healthier and happier.  Sign up for the updates to get notified when these articles and tools are available.

2012 Exercise/Fitness Planner Now Ready & Available

If you're planning on including exercise into your 2012 lifestyle, this fitness workout planner is exactly like the one I posted yesterday, but this one has the dates for 2012 filled in.  It's perfect for coordinating your exercise routine with your busy 2012 schedule.

Plus, since it is separate from other planners and schedules, each family member can have a worksheet for his/her own exercise routines without taking up valuable space on the family calendar, so now you're whole family can plan for a healthy new year!

Get it at http://www.kristensguide.com/Printables/calendars.asp

New Menu and Exercise Planners for New Year's Resolutions

That's right, it's time to plan out the details of your New Year's resolutions!  I've been getting lots of email requests for health-related calendars for everyone trying to improve their fitness and lose weight or to just spend more time taking care of their bodies to improve their brains (a healthy brain improves mental health and happiness).  I played with lots of designs and these seemed to be the winners.

The first is a 2012 weekly menu planner.  You can plan each meal, including snacks, and note any nutritional goals you'd like to achieve (e.g. calories, fat grams, etc.).  This is great for anyone who needs more room than a single box (which is in many of my other planners) and wants a more detailed plan without having to fill in spaces for every tiny detail.

The second is a weekly workout / exercise / fitness planner.  This will allow you to plan the various components of a well-rounded fitness program (e.g. endurance, strength, agility, balance, flexibility, power, recovery, etc.).  This planner is not dated, which allows for greater flexibility, and will integrate well with most fitness plans.  (Please note, to record workout details, such as reps and sets for strength training, you will likely want a separate sport training specific log sheet.  This planner worksheet is more generalized.)

To get them go to http://www.kristensguide.com/Printables/calendars.asp

More to come!  Keep sending me your requests!

What's New at Kristen's Guide

I know it has been a long time since I've updated Kristen's Guide, but I certainly haven't forgotten it. I've been working hard on my Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling and my post-grad certification in Clinical Psychophysiology, which has taken up lots of my time, but my educational growth has also taught me a lot about how I can help my readers and site visitors, so it's worth the wait. I'm also in the process of starting a new site, called All Together Wellness, that will incorporate articles and tools from a variety of authors, not just me, about mental and physical health as well as social health (aka relationships) and will have an additional focus of helping people in my local area.  Kristen's Guide definitely isn't going away though.  In fact, I could use your help in making it better.

I'm hoping you can let me know what you'd like to see on Kristen's Guide, especially with regard to printables and topics for articles and worksheets.  I'm planning on getting an early start on the free printables this year.  That way, the education related printables will be done by the end of the summer and the 2012 printables will actually be ready by 2012. :-)  So let me know what you want to see!

The Best Place to Start a Weight Loss Plan

I've been talking to lots of people about weight loss lately. They've been noticing that there's less of me to see these days (quite literally) and my clothes are getting baggy. When I tell them what I've been doing to take off the pounds, I keep hearing the same old excuses. My response, empower yourself, and I wrote a little something about it.

Check it out at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/best_place_to_lose_weight.asp

My Weight Loss Journal Update: Down 50 lbs! 20 more to go :-)

I've been busy trying to get healthier. In 2006, when I started the weight loss journal, I weighed 200 lbs. Today, I weigh 150. I've lost 50 lbs. so far. Yay me!

My highest weight ever was 230 lbs., which means in the course of my life, I've lost 80 lbs. (OK, so that high weight was while I was pregnant, and my highest non-pregnant weight was 215 lbs, so technically I've lost a total of 65 lbs. of fat, 10 lbs. of baby, and 5 pounds of pregnancy "stuff." But in all fairness, I had to work VERY hard to get out those babies, so I'm giving myself credit for it.)

Recently I've put my fitness efforts into high gear, and it's been giving me so much more than just a smaller waist size.

Read the journal entry at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/2010_june.asp

Yay! I'm no longer obese... just overweight.

In May of 200 I was 183 lbs. Today I'm a 163 lbs. I've lost 20 lbs. in 2 1/2 months, and I'm going to lose 20 more. My BMI is now in the overweight range, so no more "I'm obese" shame for me. It won't be long before I'm just at a plain ol' healthy weight. :-)

Learn more about how I've dropped the pounds at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/

Escaping Depression: Updated

I've been talking to several people who are battling depression about my experiences in overcoming it. My conversations with them helped me realize that I needed to update my Escaping Depression article to help answer some of their most common questions, which I'm sure other people have as well.

If you know somebody who is dealing with depression, or are dealing with it yourself, give it a look and let me know what you think.

Escaping Depression: How I Succeeded in Getting Out of Depression
http://www.kristensguide.com/Happiness/Managing_Emotions/escaping_depression.asp

How to Start Jogging: Updated by Popular Demand

By popular demand, I've updated one of my most read articles: How to Start Jogging.

I'm amazed by how many people send me emails about it. You guys have inspired me. When I first wrote it, I had no idea how many people were like me, thinking they could never be joggers or even just hating jogging because of all the pressure to go further and faster and endure exhaustion and pain. That's just not my style. If I don't enjoy it, I don't do it.

I admit, I slacked off. I stopped jogging about a year ago, but after my successful month of weight loss from walking, strength training, and healthy nutrition, I decided it was time to step things back up to the jogging level to strengthen my heart and lungs. I'm adding jogging again to my daily walks, and so far I've been pleased with the results. (Even bought myself a new pair of jogging shoes. :-)

So here's the updated article for all of you non-joggers who are thinking about getting into the jogging habit:
How to Start Jogging
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Exercise/how_to_start_jogging.asp

The Weight Loss Journal Is Back

It has been nearly 2 years since I stopped focusing on my weight loss efforts and quit my weekly weight loss journal entries, but about a month ago I started again.

I didn't want to write about it, not another "I'm going to do it" entry then end up failing for one reason or another. It has been one month since I started and I've lost 9 lbs. so far. Since so many of my visitors are also on the same journey to better health, I decided it was time to start publicly writing about it again, time to help somebody else get motivated instead of just focusing on myself so much. So here it is, how I started dropping the pounds again. I hope it helps some of you get started again as well.

Read my latest weight loss journal entry at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/2009_june.asp

Should I Circumcise My Son?

If you are planning on circumcising your baby boy, ask yourself one very important question: why?

I repeatedly consider this topic whenever somebody asks my opinion on the matter, and then I spend time debating the advantages and disadvantages of the circumcision procedure.

Recently one of my site visitors reminded me that I had an article about it that was in need of updating. So today, I updated it with my latest and greatest debate points in the "should we circumcise infants" argument.

Here it is...
http://www.kristensguide.com/Family/Babies/to_circumcise_or_not.asp

Garden Therapy: It helps everything! (almost)

So you're wishing there was a magic wand that can give you better health, more energy, more money, the dream home you're always wanted, and better relationships. Plus, you want it to help your kids to get a better education and grow up in a clean environment with a green future. And on top of all of that, you want to get rid (or at least reduce) of your depression and anxiety.

No problem!

Go start a garden. It's the wonder drug, the magic spell, the quick fix to help you have a happier life. And it's right outside your window. Whether you have your own yard outside your front door, a community garden down the street, a small dirt patch in front of your apartment complex, or just a window box, getting in touch with your inner gardener can change your life.

Learn all about why you need to get out and start a garden today. Check out
Why You Should Grow a Garden: The Benefits of Gardening
http://www.kristensguide.com/Gardening/benefits_of_gardening.asp

More Motivation to Lose Weight

The weather is getting nice and you're losing those winter excuses to avoid exercising, but maybe you still need a little extra motivation to get started.

If you're thinking about losing weight or wondering if you should really worry so much about being overweight, here's something to help push you into a health-conscious-fitness-loving mode: the desire to live a longer, better life.

What's the alternative? Bad stuff, and none of it pretty. I've put together a list of all that bad stuff for you. Prepared to be scared (and motivated to get to a healthy weight). See the list at...

Complications of Obesity: Why It's Bad to Be Obese
http://kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/complications_obesity.asp

Skip Your Morning Latte... Save a Life

Kristen's Guide is making an effort to stop cancer, and I need your help.

My father died of pancreatic cancer. My maternal grandmother died of brain cancer. My maternal grandfather died of throat cancer. My paternal grandmother had skin cancer and breast cancer. My husband had mouth cancer. The son of a good friend of mine had leukemia. One of my favorite English teachers died from brain cancer. My neighbor has brain cancer.

I'm tired of cancer stealing away my loved ones and raining misery on our lives.

Please help me fight cancer by donating your spare change to the American Cancer Society. Don't have any spare change? Then skip your morning latte (or afternoon soda, etc.) and spend the money on fighting cancer.

Every $1 makes a difference. Don't believe me? I've set up a group page, called Families Fighting Cancer, at the American Cancer Society events sites. I plan to gather up loose change, skip an indulgence once per week, and donate a tiny bit of money here and there to the ACS. Plus, I'm going to ask other people to do the same. The goal is to see if a few tiny sacrifices can really make a difference by eventually reaching a donation goal of $1,000.

$1,000 in spare change.

Want to help?

Go to
http://main.acsevents.org/goto/familiesfightingcancer
and donate $1 or $5 or more if you can.

New Workout Planning Printables

In my ongoing effort to find an easier way to get healthy, I've put together two new free workout planner printables.

There's an 8-week workout planner, which lets you put together an exercise program over the course of 8 weeks.

There's also a comprehensive weekly workout planner that lets you plan out many of the most important fitness components necessary for a well rounded workout.

Get the printables at
http://kristensguide.com/Printables/health.asp

Climbing Back on the Weight Loss Wagon

I started my weight loss journal in 2006. Back then I was 200 lbs and wore a women's size 20. During that year, I dropped 30 lbs., but I spent 2007 on a plateau. I became so frustrated with trying to get back into the weight loss habit that I completely fell off the wagon. I stopped writing weight loss journal entries. I stopped exercising. I started letting my food get the better of me again. And that's when the weight started creeping back on. In 2008, I started gaining rather than losing or maintaining. But I'm putting a stop to that now. I'm re-dedicating myself to writing entries into my weekly weight loss journal, exercising daily, and controlling those emotional food binges.

If you'd like to join me, please introduce yourself in the Kristen's Chubby Buddies forum in the Kristen's Guide Community. I'll also be using forum discussions to help me create better weight loss articles, printables, calculators, workbooks/journals, and community tools that you can use to help you on your way to becoming a healthier you.

Oh, and you can read my latest weight loss journal entry at
http://kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/2008_march.asp

Weight Loss Journal

My motivation to exercise has been boosted by mini-workouts and giant red flags on the scale.

Read about it at
http://www.kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/2007_december.asp

Getting Over My Weight Loss Plateau

For those of you who are following my weight loss journey, you probably know that I've been stuck on a weight plateau for quite sometime. I became so discouraged that I stopped exercising altogether.

Well now I'm working on getting back into my healthy, fitness-filled lifestyle, and I'm starting small.

See the journal entry at:
http://kristensguide.com/Health/Weight_Loss/Weight_Loss_Journal/2007_december.asp