TheFATladyBlog

National Women's Health SEXperts Agree:Good Sex Reduces Heart Attack Risk

Five national experts on women's health issued a unanimous verdict and a simple set of guidelines that make good cardiac sense:

Good sex reduces a woman's risk of heart attack!

Bad sex increases a woman's risk of heart attack!

Dr. Hilda Hutcherson took it one step further ... for the woman who does not have a partner, and for the woman who has a partner who does not "get it" ... girlfriend, just do it yourself!

(The Health Panel for Not Your Mother's Menopause featured (left to right)  Hilda Hutcherson, MD, Donnica Moore, MD, Patricia Allen, MD, Beth Baughmann DuPree, MD, and New York Times health columnist Tara Parker-Pope.)

Politics, Politics, EverywhereEven In The Swimming Pool!

  Water aerobics classes resumed at the Bethlehem (PA) YMCA this week after a three-week break. I'm glad. In the meantime, I was there most days for private water workouts. There were lap swimmers in the PWW lane, slow swimmers in the fast lap lane, and all kinds of political hell to pay from one end of the pool to the other. For once in my life I remained totally neutral and took no sides (Uncle Saul, read this and be proud!). Just lots of underwater cross country skiing, jumping jacks, abdominal crunches, and butterfly kicks...over and over and over again.

10 Delicious Daily Habits GameIs Tough For Beginners!

There are days when it is extremely hard to do 100% of the 10 Delicious Daily Habits Game and I let some things slide... it's usually "cooking something" or "reading". Sometimes, like today, I'm out of the house by 5 AM to get to the YMCA for my swim (luxurious) and then go to the office and dig in. I'm likely to return home with just about enough energy to find the bed, and can barely keep my eyes open to read.

I haven't considered reading during the day, but I may just take a walk with my book and enjoy a "reading break" on a bench, Since I work a zillion hours, I don't expect that I'll have a lot of guilt about that.   

When I do cook, I usually do so in abundance, with lots of stuff for the freezer and portions to share, so I'm not going to feel real guilty about missing a day or two of cooking. I'm about ready to make a bunch of Polish Babka -- don't eat the stuff myself -- but I usually make that in batches of 30 loaves or more -- 30 LARGE loaves. I used to do that relieve stress....but exercise and other new DDH have reduced the stress level by about 75%, so the next batch will be fun...no more "imagine this is so and so" when I punch an enormous heaving mound of 30 loaves of babka dough rich with egg yolks, sugar, and milk (very sinful food). This time I'll do my heavy kneading to the tune of some sorrowful Irish ballads, my favorite music. (Salty tears is the secret ingredient of good bread 8-)   

This is a very hard challenge...but the people closest to me see a positive difference. What's good for me is good for them, too.

10 Delicious Daily Habits Game

Practice week is over. Joeann Fossland's game starts in earnest today. Here's my list:

1. Prepare a meal or cook SOMETHING.
You may think this is easy, but sometimes a whole week can pass without using the oven or range.
2. Eliminate 1 problem.
I've accomplished this task five times already today.
3. Drink 120 oz. of water.
It's only 3 PM and this one is done. I am VERY hydrated.
4. Swim or exercise 1 hour.
I had my Hydro class first thing this morning. Great way to start a day!
5. Talk to Jens and/or Andreas.
I had lunch with Jens today. He was in town from State College. Talk about a good day!
6. Write or blog for at least 60 minutes.
This post counts toward that goal.
7. Listen to a real estate interview online.
I listened to an Allan Dalton (REALTOR.com) interview on Broker Agent News Online.
8. Read a book at least 1/2 hour.
I'm still reading Ellen Gustafson's Silver Wheel. I'm not linking because her publisher is not coming through with royalty payments and there are lots of people selling this book online. I'll do a link at a later date. (Update: Heck, Ellen just posted a comment with the link, so here it is. Ellen and I have been best friends since early days in grade school.)
9. Speak personally with a Real Estate Blog Squad member.
Great folks! I'll be speaking with Jane Bustad later today.
10. Write or edit real estate book 1 hour.
I'm in the final edit phase of a real estate how-to book that will be available very soon.

Visualization Tip Works In PoolWhen I'm Pushing It To The Limit

I picked up a good  visualization tip that comes in handy in the pool during my aerobics classes. When I seem to be at my limit with exercise and a little voice from some corner of my mind says, "Enough, already, Fat Lady," I close my eyes and I see Jens and Becca in their wedding finery, dancing their first dance less than a year from now. In no time at all the adrenaline kicks in, the voice disappears, the  muscles gain new strength, and I'm burning more calories than ever! Thanks to career coach Gailann Bruen for the idea.

Bill Clinton Leads Anti-Obesity CrusadeTo Create A Healthier Generation

President Bill Clinton is shown at left with children in Harlem during a recent event launching a campaign to reduce childhood obesity levels. The former President's Clinton Foundation is partnering with the American Heart Assn. in an effort to curb and reduce obesity. President Clinton says that he wants to make sure all children are healthy and reverse the growing rate of obesity in the United States. Today, more than twice as many children – and almost three times as many teens – are overweight as in 1980, according to a trimmer, more fit Bill Clinton. The foundation site has an excellent video (48 minutes) that is excellent, educational. viewing. The clip features Bill Clinton, Republican Governer Huckabee of Arkansas (who recently lost 110 pounds), educators, and leaders of the AHA.

The foundation will work with educators to expand students' horizons about making good lifestyle decisions, eating good nutrition, and exercising. It will encourage schools to remove vending machines from elementary schools or stock them with healthy snacks instead of the unhealthy fare many machines now offer. The group will also launch initiatives to drive food companies and the fast food industry to offer healthier choices. They point out that food industry growth is in the healthy food market.

The Fat Lady Takes A Walk In Bethlehem

Musikfest 2005 has arrived in Bethlehem. It's just a two-block walk from domicile or office. The streets are teeming with people, bands from around the world are playing at platzes all around the city center. The city is alive. These photos mark the end of this day.

Dusk greets the city and the crowds swell.

The Red Elvises rock and roll from Moscow to Volksplatz. Many people know who they are. I surrendered my own musical heart to a Dublin troubadour 30 years ago.

The city stands proud.

Lighting a path for musicians and patrons.

Danish Elvis draws his inspiration from the heavens.

"Drink Pilgrim here and if thy heart be innocent . hereto shalt refresh thy spirit." What doth the dry vessel portend?

A quiet corner unscathed by mayhem.

The Incredible Shrinking Blogger

Slowly the poundage melts or burns away or does whatever it does and goes wherever it goes. Physics was never my strong suit (neither was sensible eating and exercise for the last 20 years). The bottom line is the number on the scale. It looks like I am achieving a steady  two-pound-a-week weight loss. I have my eyes on some nice mother-of-the-groom fashions but I have several sizes to lose before I can order anything. With 345 days left to Jens and Becca's nuptuals, I have lots of hard work ahead, thousands of aquatic jumping jacks, miles of underwater cross country skiing, tons of weight lifting, and lots of stretching and flexing and water aerobics. I may take it up a notch and try some private water workouts on the weekend in addition to the classes Monday through Friday at the YMCA.

Water Workout Is Effective;Minimizes Wear And Tear On Joints

  Hate exercise? Envy those gym regulars with bodies beautiful who seem to thrive on sweaty physical exertion? What's the first step for a fatty when more than 10 steps in a row makes the knees scream, "Stop!"?

I can happily report that water aerobics may be the ticket to liberate the couch potato from lazy-bones fiefdom. I enrolled in two water exercise classes at the YMCA--Hydro is a deep water class with a belt and styrofoam barbells; Aquablast is a shallow water aerobics class that also makes some use of the barbells. The programs are 45 minutes to an hour long, with constant movement for cardio fitness. Additionally, the exercises are geared to cover every muscle group--abs, biceps, triceps, legs. There are stretching exercises, water calisthenics, weight training. And to top it off, its downright FUN! I'm starting to make significant progress with increased mobility, added strength, endurance, and elimination of pain (knees and hip). Of course, I'm also eating more sensibly and using nutritional supplements.

The Beach Boys Have Good VibrationsFrom Flower Child To Golden Girl

It is the summer of 1970. The Beach Boys take the stage at The Schaeffer Music Festival in Central Park, NYC. A flower child, 18 years old, blond hair to her waist, rocks and rolls to cheerful melodies born in Southern California. There is a faint perfume of sweet cannabis and the crowd dances on chairs and in aisles. Fast forward to the summer of 2005. The flower child's tresses are barely shoulder length, with blond highlights straight from a bottle, and the surfing sounds of Brian Wilson and company come from a boom box CD in the cavernous swimming pool of a local YMCA. A determined group of aquatic calisthenics disciples includes silver haired gentlewomen, portly females, and otherwise weight sentient ladies. There is a faint perfume of chlorine and the crowd lifts Styrofoam barbells and consummates jumping jacks in rhythm with the music. Some things never change. Music is a universal balm that stills the restless spirit and kindles merriment.