How Old Would You Be, If You Didn't Know How Old You Were?

Think about that question. If suddenly your birth date was stricken from your memory, how old would you feel? Consider your physical health, your mental health, and most importantly, how you feel about yourself. Would you be younger or older than your birth date?

Now consider those people that you know in your life of whom it's often said, "he/she is so young for their age." Why is that? Generally these are people who are fully engaged in their lives. They "make" rather than "take" time for the things they care about-despite the same pressures we all have. Chances are they to have jobs, children, aging parents, and a mortgage. In spite of this they participate in forms of exercise, and leisure activities that they enjoy. They get sick, and have work deadlines, but get right back at it, once these pass. They also make conscious decisions about everything from their eating habits, to letting go of worry, and laughing.

Every one of us has the capability of living this way regardless of our circumstances. It takes a conscious decision to start making changes that serve us, one "simple step" at a time. Keep in mind that these do not have to be enormous, life changing habits that require a complete schedule re-write. They can include starting a bedtime ritual so you can sleep more peacefully, drinking less caffeine late in the day, bringing whole fruit to work every day, beginning a walking ritual at least twice a week, or performing some strength training exercises for 10 minutes in the evening.

Here's an exercise for you to try that can be life changing. Think about 2-3 things that you could start doing today that would have the greatest impact on your personal health, and write them down. Now look at your weekly schedule, and see where these new habits might fit, or, where you might write down a reminder for yourself, e.g. "Drink more water", "Last caffeinated beverage by 2:00 p.m." Make these appointments with yourself and treat them with the same sense of purpose that you do those with others. If you have to cancel for some reason, re-schedule immediately.

Remember to start with small changes. These are the ones that will build your confidence, and lead to larger ones. Are you younger, or older than your birth date? Start today, and start feeling younger.

“A Day for Women” in Stillwater, OK

Stillwater Women’s Business Network

Presents
“A Day for Women”

Developing your personal and professional BEST!

February 10, 2010
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Stillwater Community Center - Lowry Activity Center

Bring a friend and join us for this event!
Shop local businesses for:
Home décor, cosmetics, clothing, accessories and health & beauty services

Learn tips in:
Fitness, beauty and personal development
Lunch, Fashion Show and Drawings included
Participants: $15 per person
(Includes continental breakfast and catered lunch)

Registration Deadline: February 8, 2010
Register Online at www.ruralenterprises.com or call 405.319.8190

Co-Sponsors:
CareerTech, Meridian Technology Center, REI’s Women’s Business Center in OKC,
Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and The Heart Link Network

Cold weather & no school! Need not stop us!

Oh the weather outside is frightful…this workout is so delightful!
30 minutes max!

Do each of the following for one minute each
1. High knees

2. Jumping jacks or Step outs (Arms up)

3. Push Ups

4. Planks (on elbows – toes or knees)

5. Bicycles (for abdominal)

6. Squats

7. Front kicks

8. Dips (on the floor, chair, or couch)

9. Push Ups

10. Planks

11. Bicycles

12. Arm circles Forward (standing with arms straight out to side make small circles)

13. Arm circles Backward

14. Run in place

15. Lunges (alternate legs)

16. Dips

17. Push Ups

18. Plank

19. Bicycles

20. Squat hop (hop feet out then hop in)

21. Stand calf (raise as high on toes as you can & go down)

22. Butt kicks (jogging bring heel to butt)

23. Dips

24. Reach Through (stand with feel spread, reach down to floor and reach through legs & stand up) (Count would go: Down on 1, reach 2, up hands on hips 3, hands reach to ceiling on 4)

25. Stretch 5 minutes!!!

YEA!!
Good Luck & Get er Done!

Shelley
“Stronger and Healthier Today…than Yesterday”

Natures Protein Shake

After you hit the weights, have a double. British researchers found that lifters who drank two - 15 ounce servings of milk following a workout experienced less muscle damage than those who skipped the beverage. The protein and carbohydrates in milk appear to inhibit muscle-protein breakdown and may also reduce inflamation. This effect can help you recover faster after a training session.

Got Milk!  Go for Skim.

Shift your fatty acid balance in favor of a brighter mood.

Modern diets are high in omega-6 fatty acids -- found in meat, eggs, refined grains, and corn oil -- and low in omega-3 fatty acids. New research suggests this imbalance could be a risk factor for depression. Add more mood-boosting omega-3-rich foods, such as flaxseeds, fish, and nuts, to your diet.
Omega-6s and omega-3s are forms of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Researchers have long suspected that deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids contributes to depression. Now, a new study reveals that the balance between omega-3s and omega-6s may influence depression risk. In the study, brain cell membranes of depressed rats had elevated levels of arachidonic acid, a type of omega-6, in certain areas. Nondepressed rats had lower levels. The amount of omega-3s in the brains of both depressed and nondepressed rats, however, did not differ significantly. Omega-6s are found in abundance in red meat, poultry, refined grains, and certain fats such as corn oil and margarine. Balance your intake of these foods with your intake of omega-3s found in fatty fish, canola oil, flaxseeds, soybeans, and nuts.

Get Trim in 2010

When the Oklahoma wind blows a 10 degree wind chill, some of us would rather hibernate than exercise. But this New Year, resolve to be a healthy weight and knock off the pounds put on in 2009, ‘08, ‘07.

Tips to get you rollin’

1. Five small meals a day for weight loss

After age 20, your metabolism slows down by about 10 percent every decade, which could be one reason you gain weight when you eat like you did when you were younger. This metabolic decline can be reversed by adopting the habit of eating five small meals a day instead of three larger ones. It is never a good idea to eat a large meal at one sitting because your body can only use a certain amount of calories and will store the rest as fat. It is also never a good idea to eat only one meal a day or none at all; eating very little food confuses your body into thinking it is starving and slows down your metabolism, resulting in weight gain in the long run. YIKES!

2. Lose weight without losing the nutrients

Focus on nutrition, not on dieting. To many of us, the word "diet" may conjure up images of giving up foods we enjoy and eating bland foods. Depriving the body of food or going to extremes with a few recommended foods goes against our metabolism. Even if your diet has you losing weight, the results generally don't last when you are missing valuable nutrients, which will have a negative impact on your body in the long run.

3. More liquids, less weight

If you haven't been drinking enough water, your body may have developed a pattern of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight. By increasing fluids, you are flushing out toxins and teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. If the thought of plain water makes your nose go in the air, add lemon slices, just avoid adding chemical flavors. Think clean.

4. A slimming morning ritual

Never skip breakfast! The morning is when your body needs energy the most, and then your body has the rest of the day to burn the calories off. Stick to healthy foods.

5. Get physical

Everyone knows that exercise is an important component in weight loss. Physical activity speeds up your metabolism and burns excess calories. If your goal is to slim down, be as physically active as possible. Always choose the stairs over the elevator, and use your legs instead of a vehicle whenever you can.

Make exercise fun for yourself, grab your friends or make new ones and join a group training class, hire a personal trainer, ride a bike, take a dance class, whatever motivates you to get moving.

From my experience, I have seen that success comes from exercising 3-4 times per week for 30 minutes each time. If you feel too out of shape, begin your exercise program gently and gradually. Start by exercising only five minutes a day, but do it every day. Incrementally increase the time on a weekly basis-say, five additional minutes per week. By the end of the sixth week, you'll be up to 30 minutes. Be prepared to not only lose weight, but feel stronger, more energized, and happier.

I hope this article helps you reach your healthy weight! I invite you to visit www.step4wardfitness.com and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. In fact come join my class!

You Can Lose a Pound a Week

Most health professionals recommend slow weight loss as the safest and most effective approach. A sensible weight-loss program allows you to lose weight gradually -- about one-half to one pound per week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.


Most people leading moderately active lives need about 15 calories per pound to maintain their weight. For example, a 150-pound person would have to eat foods containing no more than 2,250 calories each day to maintain his or her weight.

To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than are consumed. For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week.

A Perfect Balance

When limiting calories, you still need to satisfy basic nutritional needs. If you restrict your eating, your fat cells will remain in their fat protecting mode, and your muscles will be forced to supply the energy for your exercise. Consequently you’ll diminish the very muscle you are trying to build.

You should also evaluate your eating patterns. Resist over eating. This may sound obvious, but it’s not. We eat to the point of feeling full rather than feeling satisfied. And we eat when we are not really hungry, or we starve and then stuff ourselves. Fat cells are quick to capitalize on these habits and they respond by storing fat like crazy.

Sometimes six small meals a day can help you control your hunger. Weight loss involves nonlinear thinking. Here’s why: One meal of 2,000 calories is more fattening than two meals of 1,000, and two meals of 1,000 is more fattening than four meals of 500. Think about it, if you eat more calories than your body can burn in a few hours, the rest will be stored as fat. This is why people who do most of their eating in two meals a day make a costly mistake. They think they are cutting calories, but proportionately, more of the calories they are eating are stored as fat.

Most successful weight-loss plans call for a reduction in both calories and the amount of fat eaten. The fat in your diet should be limited to 30 percent or less of total calories each day. And calories still count!

Getting Physical

Determine what type of physical activity best suits your lifestyle. You should work your way up to regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging or swimming, since it is a key factor in achieving permanent weight loss and improving health. Aerobic exercise works the body's large muscles, such as the heart, and should be moderately vigorous to be most effective. For maximum benefits, it is recommended to exercise 30 minutes or more on most days of the week.

Try to incorporate some simple calorie-burners into your everyday routine. Even the most basic activities (such as taking an after-dinner walk, using the stairs at the mall instead of taking an escalator, or parking farther away so you have a longer walk) can get you prepared for more aerobic activities.

Exercise not only burns calories, it may increase the body's metabolic rate and actually decreases appetite for some people. Exercise also has psychological benefits. It improves your sense of well-being and decreases stress. Now, it’s time for you to find your balance and feel better.

Losing just 10 %...huh?

Studies show that losing even just 10 percent of your weight (which for many people is as little as 15 to 20 pounds) offers enormous health benefits, such as improved blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure and better blood cholesterol levels. This is not to say that losing just 10 percent is easy! The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle and changing habits can be hard work.