A Quick Update and 4 Inspiring Women!

I’m in Chicago and I have so much I want to tell you but I’m literally falling asleep as I type. So I’ve got to make this one of my quick bullet point posts. Here goes…

1. I started my day with Sara Rosso doing a CrossFit workout at River North and it was INSANE! I loved every minute of it but injured my hand a little doing kettle bell swings. :(

2. I got a Fitbit!! I’m so excited. I’m going to try to wear it and track everything the next few days just to really see how it works. I’m such a dork about these things. I find them really fun.

3. I spoke at HealthMinder on the Panel Fad to Foundation. It was fun but I’m not sure how it went. There were only a few people in the room and I wasn’t sure they were all that interested.

4. Jen and I had quite the adventure on the way to the expo this evening…

Let’s just way we’re not big fans of conferences offsite from the hotel.

5. My favorite panel of the day was called Weight vs. Health. I knew most of the panelists from their sites but hearing them speak was VERY inspiring. If you have a minute you should really check them out…

OK, must go. Tomorrow morning is the BlogHer 5k!

View the original article here

Women, Men and Beauty. I needed a good laugh.

With all that’s going on in Boston, I’m finding it REALLY hard to concentrate, so I decided to share something that gave me a good chuckle this morning.

A few days ago I shared this video on Facebook.

It’s gone viral and there’s been a lot of discussions about Dove’s intentions, women and beauty, diversity, etc, etc, etc.

I can’t lie, it made me cry. I am, after all, the biggest sap on the planet, and I do think woman are their own critics. But I also see the problems with the video: not much diversity, narrow definition of and yet more focus on woman HAVING to be beautiful, and, let’s be honest, it takes itself very seriously, almost to a fault.

Now there’s a guys’ version spoof that does the opposite. Literally.

HYSTERICAL! And reminds me not to take things so seriously.

I needed a good chuckle today.

Stay safe everyone.

View the original article here

This Is What I Overheard A Group Of Men Say About Us Women

I recently overheard a group of men discussing how women typically “let themselves go” after marriage. Some of their major points of complaint against married women in general are weight gain, some form of laziness (with laundry? cooking? I dunno.) and lack of motivation to look presentable in nice outfits (including wearing sweat pants or stretchy pants too much, and NOT wearing matching bra & panties on a regular basis).

Oh my.

My own physical appearance has had its ups and downs throughout my marriage, especially in the earliest years. I admit that. Did I let myself go? Well, maybe a just little. But my inattentiveness to my well being was because of the busyness and stressors of managing a growing family while working full time and trying to keep house. After all of that, I DO deserve to throw on some stretchy pants and couch-azz for awhile, dammit!

But I suppose there’s also a fine line that should be drawn between “relaxing while dressed down” opposed to “plain ‘ole lazy and unkempt”.

It’s easy to get comfortable in a marriage and allow your physical appearance and health to take a back seat to everything else going on in your life. It wasn’t until I adopted a healthy lifestyle attitude that I convinced myself it was NOT okay to let my appearance (including a healthy weight) be an afterthought.

I’ve worked hard to be healthy. I enjoy looking good, feeling pretty and having the energy and strength to do everything that’s required of me, plus all the extra stuff I just feel like doing. And although my husband benefits from the way I care of myself physically, I do it for me, not for him.

Yes, my husband was indeed among that group of men who were talking trash about married women, but I’m proud that he defended us ladies. Very proud, indeed. But, nooo. My bra and panties do NOT match 100% of the time. So what?

So tell me ladies: Should this group of men I overheard be given frontal wedgies and a swift kick in the azz?

View the original article here

Should women lift weights? (guest post)

(Why no. I didn’t train with the Angry Trainer, but I would have if he’d lived nearby!)

For the last twenty years I have listened to women complain that lifting weights will give them big muscles, that it will make them look like a man, and have sat by and watched as they have neglected a very important aspect of any fitness program – strength.

I’ve seen numerous fitness “gurus” promote the use of very light weights or body weight training as the only form of exercise women should be doing to get a sexy, feminine body. Guess what? The Angry Trainer couldn’t disagree more!

The fact is that most women just don’t have enough of the hormone testosterone to support “manly muscles”, and in my opinion staying away from weight training is a grave mistake. Scientific evidence demonstrates that to fight off bone density loss (osteoporosis), and to keep the body strong, it must be externally loaded with resistance, which means using weights.

This is a perfect example of initiating the “use it or lose it” principle. In order to preserve muscle mass and maintain strength, some challenging strength training should be used. It has also been shown that body weight exercises like Yoga, and Pilates, do not have the same bone strengthening advantages that weight training does, as your body is already designed to carry itself.

Think about it, do you think that an exercise program that doesn’t include lifting weights can have the same positive effect on your muscle and skeletal strength? Logic would dictate that answer is of course not.

In my career I have trained all of my clients, both men and women, with weights in some shape or fashion, both in functional training and some traditional forms, and not one woman has ever looked manly, or complained of being too muscular. Instead, they voiced their feelings of being strong, having better stamina, and for those that played a recreational sport, a marked improvement in their game.

Interestingly I’m always asked if I have “men or women exercises” to which I say, “No, I have people exercises”.

The more common scenario is this; when women start to weight train they can gain a small amount of muscle that helps to  rev up their metabolism, which can then help them to lose some body fat. With less body fat covering the muscle, it is now more visible, thus creating the appearance of the muscles being bigger.

In the bodybuilding world this was referred to as the perception; the image you created on stage. As an example when I won the heavyweight class I weighed in a 203lbs, a full 15lbs lighter than I am right now. But do to my very low body fat, I look much more muscular than right now- it’s all an optical illusion.

Everybody has abs, shoulders, legs, pecs, etc – it is the amount of body fat covering them that can make the difference between looking toned and muscular, or soft and flabby. Of course I said most women, there are some women who build muscle more easily than others, but that is the exception not the rule.

I’m not suggesting that women, or men for that matter should completely stay away from body weight exercises, or classes such as Yoga. All exercise forms have specialized benefits, and a place within your fitness program. The key is to know what each one is good for so you can plug it into your routine in an appropriate manner.

However, while I think some exercises can be a “take it or leave it” choice, I am suggesting that everyone needs to include strength training in their regime to realize their full fitness potential. It helps to maintain muscle mass, boost hormone  levels, and keep your skeleton strong, which is of utmost importance as you get older and hormone levels decline.

To be clear – I said “strength training”, I’m not asking anyone to become a power lifter or bodybuilder, or for women to run out and chest press 315lbs or max squat 405lbs.

I am asking you to include some form of intelligent resistance training in your workout. Interestingly, including weight training in your workout has tremendous “crossover” meaning it will make your other exercise classes even more productive! Of all the exercise “fads” that have come and gone, one thing remains constant – strength training and dumbbells are here to stay.

Pick one up today!

About the Author:

Alfonso Moretti aka The Angry Trainer is a 20 year Personal Trainer and operates Angry Trainer Fitness – a website dedicated to the “truth in fitness” which was created to expose myths within the fitness industry and help people get healthy and fit the right way. He sits on the Sears Fitness Advisory Board, creates exercise programs and monthly content for FitStudio LINK (www.fitstudio.com), and is a contributing Editor to Men’s Fitness And Discovery Health & Fit.

View the original article here

Why Is It More Difficult For Women To Lose Weight Than It Is For Men?

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook: “OK, so why does the husband lose 7 pounds and I only lose 3 in the past 10 days of the ‘new regimen?’... so not right.” So, does this sound familiar?

Many times when a husband and wife, or male and female couple start a weight loss journey together it seems that the man loses weight faster and more easily than the woman does. For us women, that’s downright frustrating.

There are several explanations for this phenomenon, but it’s also important to keep the focus on you, and to only compare yourself to you, not to others. So, to cut to the chase, here are a few of the reasons why men tend to lose weight faster and more easily than women:

Women tend to be more prone to “emotional eating”: In 2009, the Brookhaven National Laboratory conducted a brain imaging study to look at how we control our brain response to our favorite foods. Men were better able to control their responses. This may explain part of the puzzle on why women typically have a harder time dropping the pounds.

Men may be more competitive than women. Some research has shown that when money was awarded for every pound lost, men did better than women. It is interesting to note the percentage of men winners on the Biggest Loser compared to women (70% of the winners have been male).

Men have more muscle mass: Men tend to have more muscle than women, and we all know that muscle burns more calories than fat. Having a higher muscle composition leads to a higher metabolism. Based on several studies, the metabolism of a man has been found to be anywhere from 3-10% higher than that of a women of the same weight and age.

Female hormones play a role: Female hormones, such as estrogen, make it easier for the body to deposit fat.

With all this stacked against women, don’t be discouraged. Focus on you and don’t compare to yourself to your man! Pay attention to your eating habits and take note if you’re eating for emotional reasons or for true hunger. Keep a food journal and record your emotions/feelings in it throughout the day. Add resistance/weight training to your workout routine to help increase your muscle mass (and metabolism).

Most important, don’t give up. Take small steps toward a healthier, more active lifestyle and you will see results.

View the original article here

My Fila Real Women model video is *live*

Id make a snarkastic comment here about “the power of editing yada yada yada” but Im too in awe of the power of editing to come up with anything.

You’d never know it was FREEZING outside.

You’d never know I was feeling like an awkward, spastic gazelle.

AND, on top of it all, you can even see a snippet of my Seuss-sleeve.

Thank YOU for voting for me and thanks to FILA for staying true to the Real Women concept and portraying me precisely as I am (70 second video below).

View the original article here

Skechers Shape Ups Action Packed Women Sneakers

The S2H REPLAY is a clever new product that gives everyone an exciting way to engage in physical activity while earning great rewards (Nintendo Wiis, Wii Fits, iTunes, movie tickets, DVDs etc). The S2H REPLAY displays the time and date, an activity coach and activity monitor which records your moderate to intensive activity. Unlike pedometers that only calculate steps, the S2H REPLAY calculates many activities such as running, dancing and sports, subdividing the 60-minutes requirement into twenty 3-minute segments. Your activity coach will show you a happy face when you are doing the right kind of activity as you progress towards your reward code. Enter your reward code on our website each day to accumulate S2H Points. These S2H Points will enable you to cash-in energy expended during physical activity for rewards.Once uploaded, you can reset the S2H REPLAY and continue being active- the more active you are, the more points you will collect and the more rewards you will earn. It's like a gift that keeps on giving! Sizes are as follows- Small- 143mm (5.65 inches) in circumference; Medium- 178mm (7.00 inches) in circumference; Large- 197mm (7.75 inches) in circumference

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

MizFit, Fila Real Women Models & NYC.

(yes. I am still jumping for joy. It’s who I am: an overzealous misfit.)

I don’t know a lot—but I do know a little.

Im heading to NYC Monday morning (Id joke at the crack of dawn but even my early flight time is mid-day up in herre).I’ll be in NYC through Thursday morning.I’ll be photo-shooting along side five other *amazing amazing* women.I have to be in hair and make-up at 8a on Tuesday. (Yes, Oh Readers whom I view as friends, the words HAIR & MAKE-UP did cause my heart to skip a beat.  This head has spent the past 10+ years at the Cuts which are Super and I havent worn make-up since high school.  Fare the well comfort zone—Ill be back soon!)Hmmmm.  Except for the fact Im *way* excited, Im seriously super curious what it will be like & I intend to drag you (willing or not) with me every step of the way that’s about all I know right now.

My plan is to attempt to blog from Ren Man’s ipad (tips? suggestions? anyone out there use wordpress and an ipad?).

In addition, I’ll be tweeting /facebooking random updates and panic attacks .

I *hope* to upload video but, given my distinct lack of ipad’ing skills, Im not sure that will happen.

Most importantly Lastly, Im hoping there’s some built in free-time for a blogger/tweeter NYC meet up.

That’s me on this Friday:

Looking for ipad tips, wondering if I should have gotten a hair-do, super excited for this crazy random experience, and curious if any of you live in NYC.

I await yer wisdom in the comments below…

The photo above was taken by the awesome kristina kennedy.  Austin people? Take note!

Tags: fila, fila real women models

View the original article here

Weight Loss Advice for Overweight Women

Weight loss advice for overweight women is usually the main topic I spend time on each day with people who take part in my Skinny Asian Diet classes. It's a battle you CAN win, as Asian women have perfected a ton of easy techniques over the generations to lose weight and get a flat stomach...even after giving birth!

Weight Loss Advice for Overweight Women

Today we're going to talk about just one of the many problems that overweight women face when trying to slim down: Hunger. And then we're also going to discuss one of the ways that Asian women use to keep feeling full all day long...even when on a calorie-restricted diet.

Hunger - The Deadly Enemy

Hunger is a brutal predator that stalks its prey like a cheetah, leaping out of nowhere and making us eat things we ordinarily would have the willpower to avoid.

Ever notice how when you're hungry you tend to gravitate towards carbohydrate-loaded foods like sugary sweets, or bread?

The reason for this is that the brain sends signals out to your body commanding it to eat when it senses you need food, and those signals are designed to make you want immediate satisfaction. To drive you to do what the brain wants, it lures you with visions and images of what would you should eat...even if it's bad for you...which why we're so compelled to stop whatever you're doing and go stuff our face!

The problem with this lies in the fact that those foods we crave most tend to be easily absorbed, digested, and moved through our body much faster than the most ideal food choice available. Which means you'll be hungry again much sooner than you would be if you had chosen a different type of food or snack.

The Solution - Feel Full All Day

Just one of many things Asian women do to fight off hunger all day is through eating the right high-fiber, high-protein food that makes your body slow down the digestion process and keep you full, longer.

These foods are all around us, there are dozens of examples, but for the purpose of this quick article I'll give you two of my favorites: Nuts and Tuna.

Nuts, particularly almonds, provide extremely high levels of both fiber and protein. The effect this has is that just a handful of them can actually keep you more full, for longer, than a giant piece of super-high-calorie cake or a bowl of pasta.

It's amazing how long I can go from just say 15-20 almonds, which can easily be kept in my purse in a small zip lock bag for the perfect in-between meal snack.

Tuna is another great solution, I've found I won't feel hungry after eating a can of tuna for hours, despite the actual calorie amount being quite low. All the protein in fish tends to really slow your body's cravings down, to the point where you'll nearly double the amount of time it takes you to get hungry again after eating it versus a bread or sugary food.

Another Trick To Getting The Body you Want

Everyone I talk to lately is sick of the latest diet programs, where you're either STARVING or trying to live through BRUTAL workouts to drop weight. Instead...

...download and read my latest FREE eBook to quickly learn a simple but powerful technique that Asian women have been using forever to stay skinny and trim. Just a few minutes a day is all it takes, and it can be done even while watching TV.

View the original article here

Obese women undergo <b>weight loss</b> surgery in Korea | Otago Daily <b>...</b>

Two women, who have fought for better access to weight loss surgery, are back in New Zealand after undergoing surgery in Korea despite warnings from doctors here the procedures could have killed them.

Lynda Sim, 44, and Jasmin Sciascia, 26, were denied bariatric surgery -- which reduces the stomach's size -- in New Zealand because they lived in District Health Board (DHB) areas -- Wellington and Whanganui- which did not fund the surgery which costs up $35,000.

In December, last year the South Korean government approached both women, offering to pay for them to have the weight loss surgery in there.

The women who were morbidly obese -- Ms Sciascia weighed about 200kg and Mrs Sim about 160kg -- decided to take up the offer despite warnings from doctors that the flights over there could pose a health risk, and went under the knife in Soochunhyang University Hospital in Seoul on February 23.

Both operations were successful and the pair were expected to lose a dramatic amount of weight with some patients losing up to half their weight within months following the surgery.

Ms Sim said told The Dominion Post newspaper she was very grateful to the Korean government for the surgery which gave her a chance to look "normal" after being embarrassed about the way she looked all her life.

She said she looked forward to being able to do the simple things such as walking to her own mailbox, in the Wellington suburb of Karori, without the help of a wheelchair.

Before the pair left for surgery Wanganui surgeon Clive Solomon, who had advocated for both woman to receive the surgery in New Zealand, said it was "bloody madness" that the woman were flying to Korea for the operations.

The women risked dying either on the operating table or on the flight over, he said.

View the original article here

Weight Loss Advice for Overweight Women

Weight loss advice for overweight women is usually the main topic I spend time on each day with people who take part in my Skinny Asian Diet classes. It's a battle you CAN win, as Asian women have perfected a ton of easy techniques over the generations to lose weight and get a flat stomach...even after giving birth!

Weight Loss Advice for Overweight Women

Today we're going to talk about just one of the many problems that overweight women face when trying to slim down: Hunger. And then we're also going to discuss one of the ways that Asian women use to keep feeling full all day long...even when on a calorie-restricted diet.

Hunger - The Deadly Enemy

Hunger is a brutal predator that stalks its prey like a cheetah, leaping out of nowhere and making us eat things we ordinarily would have the willpower to avoid.

Ever notice how when you're hungry you tend to gravitate towards carbohydrate-loaded foods like sugary sweets, or bread?

The reason for this is that the brain sends signals out to your body commanding it to eat when it senses you need food, and those signals are designed to make you want immediate satisfaction. To drive you to do what the brain wants, it lures you with visions and images of what would you should eat...even if it's bad for you...which why we're so compelled to stop whatever you're doing and go stuff our face!

The problem with this lies in the fact that those foods we crave most tend to be easily absorbed, digested, and moved through our body much faster than the most ideal food choice available. Which means you'll be hungry again much sooner than you would be if you had chosen a different type of food or snack.

The Solution - Feel Full All Day

Just one of many things Asian women do to fight off hunger all day is through eating the right high-fiber, high-protein food that makes your body slow down the digestion process and keep you full, longer.

These foods are all around us, there are dozens of examples, but for the purpose of this quick article I'll give you two of my favorites: Nuts and Tuna.

Nuts, particularly almonds, provide extremely high levels of both fiber and protein. The effect this has is that just a handful of them can actually keep you more full, for longer, than a giant piece of super-high-calorie cake or a bowl of pasta.

It's amazing how long I can go from just say 15-20 almonds, which can easily be kept in my purse in a small zip lock bag for the perfect in-between meal snack.

Tuna is another great solution, I've found I won't feel hungry after eating a can of tuna for hours, despite the actual calorie amount being quite low. All the protein in fish tends to really slow your body's cravings down, to the point where you'll nearly double the amount of time it takes you to get hungry again after eating it versus a bread or sugary food.

Another Trick To Getting The Body you Want

Everyone I talk to lately is sick of the latest diet programs, where you're either STARVING or trying to live through BRUTAL workouts to drop weight. Instead...

...download and read my latest FREE eBook to quickly learn a simple but powerful technique that Asian women have been using forever to stay skinny and trim. Just a few minutes a day is all it takes, and it can be done even while watching TV.

View the original article here

Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything

gift quality. PASTOR USES THESE FUNDS FOR HOSPICE WORK

Price: $24.00

Click here to buy from Amazon

Skechers Shape Ups Action Packed Women Sneakers

BRAND NEW 2009 PAPERBACK EDITION. SOME SHELFWEAR MARKS. OVERSTOCK MARK

Price:

Click here to buy from Amazon

Women &amp; Children First

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: VAN HALEN
Title: WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST
Street Release Date: 09/19/2000
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP

Price: $7.98

Click here to buy from Amazon

Fighter Workouts for Fat Loss For Women

75% commissions, Unique fat loss product. Tight sales copy + great testimonials = awesome conversions. Email me for interviews/articles to help promote it. joshhillis@gmail.com. Feel good about promoting a real program that gets awesome results.

Check it out!

Sistah Strong - Fitness, Weight Loss, And Wellness For Women Of Color

Join Sistah Strong's support network and coaching program. We help our members get strong, lean, and fit. It doesn't matter what race you are, but we especially pay attention to the needs of African American women and women of color.

Check it out!