I’m delighted to have an interview with celebrity trainer/nutritionist, Kathy Kaehler. Kathy has trained celebrity moms such as Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer and Denise Richards. I consider taking care of your body as an act of love. She lives by her 90/10 percentage rule, which encourages individuals to watch what they eat 90 percent of the time and indulge here and there during the other 10 percent.

Kathy went into fitness because it was a passion. She loved sports and originally thought of going into physical education. She worked as an intern for Coors for 2 years in their fitness center. They were one of the first corporations to recognize the benefits of encouraging employees to work out–less absenteeism and happier people. From there she went into the health club industry. Getting a job with Jane Fonda in California opened the door to training more celebrities. This led to Kathy being on the Today show for years. She’s now writing her 8th book and currently trying to sell a TV show. Kathy is also a spokesperson and aligns herself with products she believes in, that she’d have in her home feels confident sharing.

She’s now getting the word out about Breyers brand new smooth and creamy bars and sandwiches. Her 90/10 principle teaches that 90% of the time the goal is to exercise and make good choices wherever you are nutritionally. It’s a lifestyle not a diet. The 10% is your life. For celebrations or you need comforting that makes you feel good. Kathy believes that 10% is an important place. She likes Smooth and Dreamy because it ranges from 120 to 160 calories. It tastes decadent but you’re not going off the wagon. She considers it a perfect size–not too big or small. Here’s what she had to say:

What are you so concerned about portion size? We live in a world of disordered sizes. To me this is a perfect product to be a partner with since I get cravings and enjoy having something I can feel good about. It tastes good and helps people recognize by sight a normal portion. I like a treat I can feel good about.

How can people focus on physical fitness? Answer questions that I asked my kids when they were little, like: How did you use your muscles today? You have a disconnect when you’re not active from the neck down. When you ask: Did you push or pull anything. Jump? Balance? Those kinds of things are active movements and it could be anything–picking up a bag of groceries, walking up the stairs, hopping on one leg. That gets you to think in a more physical way, without feeling overwhelmed. The body is very resilient and will come back. But you have to check in.

What do you see as the biggest obstacles that people have in attaining it? It has to do with our society. We’re lazy–looking for everything to be more convenient at the expense of our physicality. We use time as the ultimate excuse. I believe that we are also nation of procrastinators and don’t want to hear about prevention. We only want to deal with a health problem when it happens. For example, more people only start to exercise after they have the heart attack, or you’re told you have diabetes and then change the way you eat. Even being grossly obese doesn’t motivate someone to change. It’s the diseases that comes from being overweight that makes the gun go off at the race. Then basically you have to backtrack. It should be part of our culture that we go for [good physical fitness] in the first place, like Japan and China. Even European counties take better steps than we do.

Why is educating the public about fitness so important to you? I know first-hand that there’s not a better feeling that you get than when you’re physically active. If I could give it to you in a bottle you’d ask for a lifetime supply.

Explain why your 90/10 percentage rule allows that 10%? You have to be realistic. So many of us want to buy that golden message of thinner thighs in thirty seconds or an overnight success. The 90/10 is really do-able and can give you a lifestyle that’s successful for helping you reach and stay at your ideal weight. We all have cravings and desires. The Smooth and Dreamy fits in perfectly. It’s smooth and dreamy and maintains itself in a good caloric range. It’s your responsibility to become aware of what you eat.

Are there no no’s in the 10%? I like to have a variety of things I have for my 10%. It’s your responsibility to just become aware of what you have. If you go to a fair, you should know not to have a deep fried candy bar. It’s so many calories that if you eat that you have a week’s worth of 10%. There are restaurants that tell you the calories and it can really scare you.

What are the most important things someone who’s never focused on getting fit before should strive for? It could be as simple as making it out the door. Make it your goal that every day you will make the attempt at getting out that door whether for one, five or thirty minutes and walk.

Does aging make it harder to be fit?  Look at Jack LaLanne. The body is resilient. At any age you can see change. It’s up to you to commit to make it happen.

How does improving fitness affect self-esteem and confidence? Fitness gives you improved self-esteem and confidence because fitness is an accomplishment. When you have experience accomplishment it comes back to the feeling of being proud. And right there that gives you your self-confidence, feeling I can it!

What would you say to someone who was comparing their body–stressfully–to the perfect looking celebrities they see? You look at people who are famous because of that. We’re so fixated on that comparison. People have asked me to help them get Jennifer Anniston’s arms. I want to say, surgically remove them and put them on yours! Exercise doesn’t change your bone structure. You can only get your body to be the best it can be by following a regular exercise program. The comparison thing is a sign of pushing your confidence off of you because you’re trying to be somebody else.

How does someone get past comparisons? If you are really into your program and doing a great job at it, trying new exercises or classes, and reaching new goals, you won’t be thinking about someone else’s arms. The comparison comes when you’re not focusing on yourself. You’re focusing on someone else. You’ll never get the results you wan that way.

Best advice? It’s never too late to start. Once you do you will be so upset that it took you that long. It’s important to live your life as a lifestyle, not as a program. Within that lifestyle and following that 90/10 principle, it’s very easy to incorporate good choices on how you move your body and what you put in it. It all boils down to making the choice.

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