Thanksgiving is just a week away and some of you can’t wait to indulge in wonderful family recipes and delicious desserts. Research shows that most weight gain occurs in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. If you’re already overweight or trying to combat yo-yo weight gain, you are more likely to put on more pounds during the holiday season. By no means am I suggesting that anyone diets during the holiday but if you’re weight conscious here are some quick tips to keep off that holiday weight gain!

The amount of weight you gain during the holidays doesn’t necessarily depend on how much you eat but what you eat! Be cautious of holiday parties with signature cocktails loaded with sugar and calories. If you count calories check these stats out:

 1 glass of wine = 127 calories

1 Tequila shot = 64 calories

Apple Martini = 235 calories

Balance the extra calories with an easy exercise like a 25-minute walk afterwards.

I’ve been guilty of skipping breakfast to “make room” for dinner. This is an absolute no- no. Skipping a meal so you can splurge at the party will only cause you to overeat. Eat breakfast!

A better alternative to control portion sizes is by drinking a full glass of water (or two) before you eat your meal. You will feel full quicker. Also try the 80/20 Rule- 80% Healthy 20% whatever you like. Just eat in moderation.

Don’t let your crazy holiday schedule keep you from working out. Your holiday schedule might be too busy to work out but try to use opportunities throughout the day to work in some fitness. For example: take the stairs instead of the elevator at the mall while shopping or do calf raises and stretches during household chores.

Hopefully these quick tips will help prevent weight gain during this holiday season!

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How to examine your breasts

• Lie down and place your right arm behind your head. The exam is done while lying down, not standing up. This is because when lying down the breast tissue spreads evenly over the chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all the breast tissue.

• Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use overlapping dime-sized circular motions of the finger pads to feel the breast tissue
• Move around the breast in an up and down pattern starting at an imaginary line drawn straight down your side from the underarm and moving across the breast to the middle of the chest bone (sternum or breastbone). Be sure to check the entire breast area going down until you feel only ribs and up to the neck or collar bone (clavicle).

Personal story:

Around this time in 2008, at the young age of 25 I had a small tissue mass removed from my right breast. By the grace of GOD it was benign but I encourage all women (& men) to be proactive in the health of their body. Support the cause and save the ta-ta’s by participating in local fundraisers this month or by making a donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. You can also purchase some pink items to support the cause. Here are a few of my picks:

Click on the images for details

Clinique lipgloss key ring ($16); Estee Lauder’s Pink Ribbon collection w/croc stamped case($25); Bobbi Brown’s pink shimmer brick ($38)

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Just the other day I realized my Tory Burch thong-style sandals (also known as flip-flops), have been my go-to summer footwear when I’m not in heels. After wearing my flats all day or after long periods of walking, the arches of  my feet would hurt more than if I wore a pair of 4 inch heels! I thought to myself, flats shouldn’t hurt more than heels so I did some research to figure out the possible problem.

This is what I found: 

Each time you take a step in flip-flops, their spongy soles and lack of arch support cause your feet to roll inward — otherwise known as pronation. A pronated foot is one in which the heel bone angles inward and the arch tends to collapse. (A “knock-kneed” person has overly pronated feet.) It flattens the arch as the foot strikes the ground in order to absorb shock when the heel hits the ground, and to assist in balance during mid-stance. If habits develop, this action can lead to foot pain as well as knee pain and, shin splints.

So to prevent pronation we have two options.

#1: Save the flip-flops for the beach 

#2 opt for sandals with support.

I can’t give up comfy flip flops so I’m going to try Dr. Scholl’s Massaging Gel Arch Supports. The product claims to provide all-day, comfortable arch support and pain relief. They are only around $5 and widely available at most drugstores. If you can’t find them get them on Amazon.

Any health tips you want to share?

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Even though I’m only 27 years young, I am determined to be on someone’s FAB over 40 List and this is why!

At 74 years old, standing at 5’5 and 120 pounds, Baltimore grandmother Ernestine Shepherd holds the Guinness World Records’ for oldest female bodybuilder!

She claims she was “too prissy to exercise because she didn’t want her hair or nails messed up.”

(That statement sounds shockingly familar) But At 56, she was in a dressing room with her sister trying on swimsuits for a pool party and didn’t like what she saw and decided to make a change.

Her secrets:

Shepherd runs about 80 miles per week and bench presses 150 pounds.

Bicep curls are done with 15- and 20-pound dumbbells.

Once she began to see the effects of lifting weights, Shepherd dedicated herself to becoming the oldest fitness competitor. Then, she took up running, which led to her completing eight marathons.

She eats smart. She eats several small meals a day as part of a diet plan she formulated with her trainers. She takes in 1,700 calories a day, mostly comprised of boiled egg whites, chicken, vegetables and a liquid egg white drink. And she is adamant that she does not use performance-enhancing drugs or even supplements beyond vitamin D. Read the full article to Find Out How this Grandma went From Flab to Fab

CHECK THE VIDEO OUT!

After seeing this at 74, ladies we have NO EXCUSES not to work out!

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National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD) is a nationwide initiative celebrated on March 10th every year to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls.In observance of this day, The Red Pump Project asked bloggers to participate in the 2nd annual “Rock the Red Pump” campaign: 500 in 50. As a public health professional I proudly support the campaign! I Rock the Red Pump on my blog to represent the strength and courage of women fighting HIV/AIDS or affected by the disease both directly and indirectly.

This year focuses on this statistic:

Every 35 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in the United States. More and more women have become infected with HIV since it was first reported in the early 1980s. Today, about 1 in 4 Americans living with HIV are women.

Find a testing site near you

Learn more about the Red Pump Project and the project founder Awesomely Luvvie

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It shouldn’t take an expert opinion article for me to realize interval training yields better results and proves to be the smarter way to work out. If you’re not familar, intense interval training means working very hard for a few minutes, with rest periods in between sets. According to an article on www.MSNBC.com Jan Helgerud (an exercise expert at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) states that:  “High-intensity interval training is twice as effective as normal exercise”

Helgerud recommends people try four sessions lasting four minutes each, with three minutes of recovery time in between. I’ve tried 60 second sprints on the treadmill and they work! It takes less time to complete a harder work out. I was out of breath the first few times…and not to be gross but I noticed I sweated waaaay more doing sprints than I would doing 25 minutes on the Elliptical machine. Another expert, Stephen Bailey (from the University of Exeter) said:

 “Even though interval training only takes a few minutes, its effects last for hours.You’ve exercised at such a high intensity that you’re going to create a massive disturbance in your muscles.Which creates a higher metabolism for several hours afterward, which the body will bring down by burning fat and carbohydrates.”

According to the research interval training can double endurance, improve oxygen use and strength by more than 10%, and speed by at least 5%. Read the full article:

Interval Training Can Cut Exercise Hours Sharply

Last but not least, unless you want shatter your body into a million pieces; please warm up before doing these intervals. A typical warm up consists of about 5 minutes of light jogging with a brief increase in speed. I still haven’t worked up to a full high intensity interval training work out session but I’m getting there!

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Every year, the United States recognizes March 10th as National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It’s a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on women & girls and encourages ladies to take action. While progress has definitely been made in the area of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, women still represent 27% of all new AIDS diagnoses, with African-American women accounting for 66% of that group. This year focuses on this statistic:

 ”Every 35 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in the United States.“

In observance of this day, The Red Pump Project is asking bloggers to participate in the second annual “Rock the Red Pump” campaign: 500 in 50. As a public health professional I proudly support the campaign!

If you’re interested in participating in the “Rock the Red Pump” campaign, please send an email to rocktheredpump@theredpumpproject.com. I hope my readers will support The Red Pump Project on March 10th!

Learn more about the Red Pump Project and the project founder Awesomely Luvvie

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On Friday, a judge in Oklahoma extended a temporary restraining order on a law that would post information online about women who get abortions in the state and denied the state’s motion to dismiss the case, putting the measure on hold until a February 19 hearing. Critics say the act would be harassment and an invasion of privacy. Republican State Senator Todd Lamb who helped draft the abortion legislation describes it as “a common sense measure with bipartisan support.” He says: “We’re not trying to embarrass anybody, hurt anybody, or make anybody’s identities known. “We want to collect hard data that can be a useful tool in helping prevent future unwanted pregnancies.”

WHAT?! How is data going to prevent pregnancy??? Its an invasion of privacy and seems to be in conflict with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA {but I am not 100% sure}

Lamb says, if their identity is kept confidential, how will this violate a women’s privacy? The measure specifies women’s identities will be protected. “Nothing in the Individual Abortion Form shall contain the name, address or information specifically identifying any patient.”

The Center for Reproductive Rights argues that the measure is unconstitutional and in violation of the state’s “single subject rule” because it covers different aspects of abortion. Abortion rights supporters are extremely concerned about the intrusiveness of the questions, and fear that identities of women could be compromised, especially in small communities. Because it requires doctors to submit answers to 37 intensely personal questions they believed women can be identified or misindentified. Lamb says: “Oklahoma is a conservative state. We are a pro-life state, and I believe it’s important public policy to stand on the side of sanctity of life.”

Opposers such as former state Rep. Wanda Jo Stapleton, believe “They’re trying to do away with abortions completely,” she says. “They can’t because of Roe v. Wade. But they’re finding ways around Roe v Wade.” If the law does go forward, the state Department of Health is to have the Web site up and running by March 1, 2011.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Whether you are Pro-Life or Pro-Choice, Are you in favor or opposed to this proposed legislation?

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Today is World’s Aids which was established in 1988 to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS projects around the world.  According to statistics, AIDS is the leading cause of death among African American woman ages 25-34.  It’s a huge epidemic with almost 3 million new HIV cases reported last year and 2 million HIV related deaths worldwide.

Here are the Basics:

HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system – the body’s defense against diseases.

Are and HIV and AIDS the same?

No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

How is HIV passed on?

HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.

The most common ways HIV is passed on are:

• Sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
• Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
• From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding (but with effective treatment and care the risk of transmission can be greatly reduced)

Is there a cure for HIV?

No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective.

How can I protect myself and others from HIV infection?

Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You also may want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.

Some 2008 HIV stats:

• 7,298 new diagnoses
• The two groups most affected remain gay and bisexual men and black heterosexuals.  Three-quarters of people diagnosed were among these two groups.
• 2,760 new diagnoses among men who have sex with men
• 2,790 new diagnoses among people from black and minority ethnic communities

For more information visit these sites:

http://www.worldaidsday.org/

http://www.aids.gov/world-aids-day/

http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/

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