Squash the A.N.T.s in Your Head

A.N.T.s.: Automatic Negative Thoughts. Many of us get them on a daily basis. We as women are more likely to think something negative about ourselves instead of thinking about something positive. How many of us can't even take a compliment? Someone says something nice about my hair and I usually respond with: "Thanks but it's looking super frizzy day." We constantly beat ourselves up if we don't fit into our jeans, if our hair doesn't look like it came out of a Pantene commercial, and if our makeup isn't flawless by the end of the day. 

So why are we so hard on ourselves? Probably from the impossible expectations set from society. Since we were little girls, we played with Barbie dolls that had impossible figures that we couldn't achieve unless we aspired to look like Heidi Montag (yikes!). We then grow up watching TV shows and looking at magazines filled with models and celebrities with extreme airbrushing. By the time we get into our 20s, many of us have been trained to think that we aren't ever good enough--never skinny enough, never pretty enough. That's what many advertisers want us to think. If we didn't, we wouldn't by their products, right? Don't get me wrong, wanting to be healthy and enhance your features doesn't make you a negative-thinker.

Favim.com

In honor of "Love Your Body" day, I encourage all of us to take a stand against the unrealistic expectations that society set in our brains and squash the A.N.T.s in our head. It's time to love ourselves with a positive body image. How? Below are a few tips:

• Working out: Working out doesn't always have to be about weight loss. You can increase your endorphins and physical activity can encourage you to appreciate the body you have.
• Relieve the stress: Getting plenty of sleep, meditating, and yoga are just a few ways that can help you bring peace. The more calm and relaxes that you are, the more likely you are to think in the positive.
• Postive mantras: Every morning, look in the mirror and say something positive about yourself. It may seem silly, but saying "I'm beautiful" outlood can do wonders for your body image. Because if you don't think it and believe it, who else will.

If you know me, you know that I struggle with this on a daily basis. But I'm hoping you can join me in making a real effort to switch our A.N.T.s into loving positive thoughts in honor of "Love Your Body" and every day.

This post is part of the 2011 Love Your Body Day Blog Carnival

Beware the Wrath of the Weave

Danielle Staub had them ripped out of her head. BritBrit went overboard with them during her "crazy phase". The Sweetheart from Jersey Shore doesn't hit the clubs without them. And Beyonce makes them look fierce on stage. Extensions/weaves:  a process in which a hairpiece is interwoven with real hair to usually increase the thickness or length of the hairstyle. It's not only the latest beauty trend for celebrities, but for all women across the country.

So often we look at the benefits of having longer or fuller hair but I rarely ever hear a women ask or mention the risks that come with this beauty enhancement. In fact, I too once got bit by the "hair weave" bug and got them done last summer. I could only deal with them for about a week before I had them removed. Too much maintence in my opinion. But then again, I'm not one to spend hours getting ready for the day. If I had the time, I totally would though!

So what exactly is the risk of a weave/extensions? Hair loss! Yup, a condition called traction alopecia, which is when too much tension is regularly placed on the hair roots, pulling out the hairs, and damaging the follicles permanently. Translation: You could go bald. And that's so not hot (unless that's the look you're going for, and in which case--work it girl!)!

But what if you're like that girl on the new season of Tough Love who can't function without her extenions? Not to worry. Here's a few tips to make sure you not only keep your natural hair but your fabulous extensions as well:

• Seek a professional who has been trained to deal with weaving/extensions.
• Visit your hair stylist at least once a month to make sure that your not dealing with any hair loss or hair damage.
• If you already notice hair loss and you have a weave or extensions put in, I would first tell you hairstyles and directly afterwards schedule an appointment with your physician as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
• If you're still thinking about getting a weave/extension. Be sure to do your homework on the pros and cons of glue-in vs. sewn-in.

Bottom line: When in need of a weave, proceed with caution!

You think 20somethings don't have to worry about osteoporosis? Think again

Many of us 20somethings rarely think about our bone health. We think it's something we had to worry about when we were younger or when we get older. But our 20s provides a time where we can really reduce our risk for osteoporosis. We reach our peak bone mass in our 20s. So the stronger the bones we have, the better off we are. If we build as many health bones now and maintain those healthy bones, we reduce the risk of hip fractures or loss of bone density down the road.

So what can we do besides eating lots of calcium? Below are a few suggestions:

• Pump it up: As a BodyPump instructor, I have to give a shoutout! At least 3 times a week, I do a mixture of lunges, squats, and other weight-bearing moves within a one hour class. According to Women's Health magazine, studies show that weight-bearing impact activities minimize age-related bone loss, especially in your hips. If group fitness is not your thing, try lifting weights on your own with this great guide from Women's Health magazine, a workout DVD, or consider getting a personal instructor to create a workout that works for you. Whatever works for you.
• Keep a healthy weight: If you find yourself below your suggested weight range, you put yourself at a higher risk for osteoporosis. If you need help gaining weight, visit your doctor to figure out your safe and healthy options to reach your healthy weight.
• Give me a "D"!: Vitamin D, that is. Because most of us find ourselves in a 9-5 job without the chance to get some sun. We have to try extra hard to get the Vitamin D we need. According to EmpowHER, we should be aiming for 600 to 800 IU per a day.

These are just a few ways to get healthy bones. How do you get strong bones? Share in the comments section below.

Bottom line: As I've said in various posts before, this is the time to be proactive with our health. Just a few simple steps can lead to a long and healthy future. So make a healthy step now! I challenge you to do at least on hour of weight-bearing activity a week (BodyPump or otherwise). Who's in?

I'm a Warrior in Pink. Are you?



Photo Credit: Ford's Warrior in Pink



Each year, women and men across American take part in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And each year, we all do something to help make a difference. From turning in yogurt lids to walking the 3-day Susan G. Koman race, we all do our part to support the research for a cure. We buy the cute pink stuff with the cute pink ribbon, and then as soon as November hits--we turn our focus to the holidays. However, breast cancer isn't a one month,problem. It's a lifelong battle that many of us have endured or will endure at some point in our lives. According to the Young Survival Coalition, more than 250,000 women living in the U.S. who were 40 years old or younger when they were diagnosed with breast cancer. And as we get older, that number will only increase. Livestrong.com states that the average woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, she only has a 1 in 1,760 chance of developing the disease in her 20s. In her 30s, her chances increase to 1 in 229.

What if we could stop the need to find a cure, and instead, find the cause? Thanks to an organization called the Army of Women, you can. They focus on breast cancer prevention research conducted on healthy women, breast cancer survivors, and women of high-risk (so basically, anyone reading this blog post can volunteer to participate). Today you could make an impact and become one of the 1 million women fighting for a future without breast cancer. It takes 4 easy steps that could make a difference in a woman's life.

So, will you join me in becoming a warrior?

The Army of Women study isn't the only way you can become a warrior. Below are some other options:

1. Talk to your company about joining the Promise Action campaign to encourage your fellow employees to get screened.
2. Become a breast cancer advocate and contact your Senators, Governors, Assemly members, and Council members.
3. Join the Young Survival Coalition and adopt a hospital. All you have to do is find a local hospital and work with the Young Survival Coalition to provide publications and resources to help young women prevent, diagnose, and/or manage breast cancer.

Bottom Line:  I often say to my BodyPump class members, "in order to make real change, we have to get out of our comfort zones". Meaning, to make a real difference, we have to give real effort. However you choose to participate in the battle against breast cancer,  be sure to do it for the women who've fought the battle, the women who will fight the battle, and hopefully the women who will never have to fight the battle.

This post is dedicated in loving memory to Dee Miles Robinson, a true warrior, amazing mother, and wonderful friend.

PCOS: What it is and what you need to know

According to the HHS Office on Women's Health, Between 1 in 10 and 1 in 20 women of childbearing age has PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Women's Health magazine recently featured a story about a 25 year-old woman and her expierence getting misdiagnosed before learning she had PCOS. Here's an excerpt from the article on misdiagnosed patients.

So, a woman walks into a doctor's office. She's 25, and her cramps are out of control; her period is irregular at best. What's more, she's packed on 50 pounds in 18 months. Her general practitioner suspects and tests her thyroid. Normal. She's shuffled to a gynecologist, who orders a raft of blood work. Normal again. She's prescribed Advil for the pain and birth-control pills to regulate her cycle. Back home, she takes to the Web, searching for answers. And at a followup visit with her gyno, she timidly offers a diagnosis of her own: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that plagues some 5 million young women. "Doubtful," says her doc. "You don't fit the profile." Though the classic PCOS patient is overweight, sufferers also have unnaturally high testosterone levels, something that's missing here. Besides, before her recent weight gain, she'd been slim and healthy, so she's likely just going through a normal postadolescent metabolic slowdown, says her M.D. She'll bounce back soon enough. Except that she doesn't—and two years later, after constant pain and countless more appointments, procedures, and tests, Alexa Stevenson of St. Paul, Minnesota, is finally correctly diagnosed by a reproductive endocrinologist with PCOS, the most common cause of infertility.

Crazy, right? So how do you know if you have it? Here are the symptoms for PCOS, courtesy of the Office on Women's Health:

• Infertility (not able to get pregnant) because of not ovulating. In fact, PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.
• Infrequent, absent, and/or irregular menstrual periods
• Hirsutism (HER-suh-tiz-um) — increased hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes
• Cysts on the ovaries
• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
• Weight gain or obesity, usually with extra weight around the waist
• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair
• Patches of skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs that are thick and dark brown or black
• Skin tags — excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area
• Pelvic pain
• Anxiety or depression
• Sleep apnea — when breathing stops for short periods of time while asleep

If you think you have a lot of the symptoms above but don't want to go thru the same expierence Alexa had to deal with, here are a few tips to help you prepare for your doctor visit:

• Do your homework. Alexa searched for informatoin on the web. This is a good idea if you search within credible health websites. Try WebMD and womenshealth.gov to get you started.
• Make a list of all the symptoms you have and the severity in which you have them.
• Look into your family history. Has anyone else in your family been diagnosed with PCOS? Any history of diabetes or infertility could also serve as a red flag.
• Find a doctor who has expierence with PCOS. Those who do, have more expierence diangosing the symptoms correctly.
• Go to your doctor visit with lots of questions. Writing them down will garuntee that you don't forget anything when you get there.
• Be prepared to take a lot of tests if your doctor thinks you could have PCOS. WebMD has a great list of tests that you  may undergo during your visit.

Bottom line: Knowledge is power. In honor of PCOS Awareness Month (September), I feel it's important that us 20something ladies are proactive about our health. PCOS isn't a condition that's discussed every day, but it's something that could impact your health and your future. Pay attention to your body and don't be hestitate to speak up if you think something is wrong.

5 HealthyFab Ways to Get Ready for Summer 2012!

Yes, I said 2012--it's time to plan for next summer! As the fall season approaches, many of us like to hide behind bulky sweaters and hibernate by staying in front of the TV and away from the gym. And then before we know it, it's swimsuit season and we are in panic mode--sometimes going to extreme and unhealthy measures to fit into that oh-so-cute bikini.

Stop the madness! When it comes to getting a healthy, fit, and sexy bod, slow and steady wins the race. Start following these 5 tips and within a year you'll be rockin' that yellow polka dot bikini.

1. Get religous about your fitness.  Become devoted and dedicated to a workout that works for you. BodyPump (had to do a shoutout, sorry!), jogging, tennis--whatever makes you move and bust a sweat. Try a few of these 20something workout moves created by Women's Health magazine if you need guidance/advice.
2. Fruit, veggies, and grains--oh my! You need to dream about fruit, veggies, and grains. You need to crave fruit, veggies, and grains. And most importantly, you need to eat your fruit, veggies, and grains. And according to ChooseMyPlate.gov, you need to make half of your plate fruit and veggies. So hit the grocery store to stock up asap! Feed your body the nutrients it needs to sustain your workouts and give you the energy you need to conquer the day.
3. Show your skin some daily TLC. Not only should you wash your face at least twice a day and wear sunscreen daily, you should also make a regular visit with your dermatologist. Be sure to visit a dermatologist at least once a year. Check out these great tips from Oprah.com for more ways to keep your skin in peak condition.
4. Don't let the bed bugs bite.  It goes without saying, sleep is fuel for our brains. With everything a 20something has going on (work, happy hours, gym, parties, shopping, etc.), you need your energy and memory to function. The less sleep you get, the more likely your going to crave sugars and carbs. And the more sugar and carbs you eat, the more likely you'll gain weight.
5. Oooommm, Namaste. Seriously, we are too young and too fabulous to be too stressed. Always make sure you take a minute to breathe, laugh with a friend or watch a funny video, and step away from the computer screen. When you start to freak out, really look at what you can eliminate in your life. The less stressed you are, the less likely you'll want to pig-out on on a whole pizza or drink 5 glasses of wine in one night. Eventually the stress will make it's permanent residence on your hips and belly, and that's never in season (fall or summer!)

Bottom line: What you do now will make a huge difference next summer and 20 years down the road. Avoid drastic measures like plastic surgery or extreme dieting to get the healthy body you want and deserve.

Eliminate the Self-absorbed Sidekicks and Emotional Vampires

A recent study found that 8 in 10 people deal with "self-absorbed sidekicks and emotional vampires" aka toxic friends. It's usually in our 20somethings when we start to reassess our friendships. We start to realize that having those toxic friends can have a huge impact on our health--the stress in itself can lead to unhealthy behaviors.

Not sure if you have a toxic friend? If you answer 'yes' to any of the questions below, it's time to consider just how much you want that friend around:

• Does your friend constantly talk about herself/himself without even taking 5 seconds to think about you or anyone else?
• Does your friend constantly complain about every single little thing?
• Does your friend criticize everything you do? Even when you're not asking for their advice?
• Does your friend throw little insults your way?
• Does your friend try to boss you around? And do they throw a 'temper tantrum' if you don't take their "advice"?
• Does it seem like your friend is never around or available to actually be a friend unless they need a favor?

If so, they gotta go! It's not easy getting rid of a toxic friend. At some point, you had a positive experience with them, so they weren't always toxic--but as many of us continue on the 20something path, we tend to change. Some because more "me, me, me" while others start to appreciate the amazing people they have in their life. If you want to have lifelong friendships, you have to keep the right ones around, starting now! Below are a few tips to do it with class:

• Put your time and energy on things that make you happy, i.e. friends, hobbies, family, etc.
• Don't feel pressured to return the phone calls and texts. By minimizing the communication, the friend should start to get the hint.
• Be blunt: Tell them in a letter how they feel, but by doing this, you should be fair and see if they are willing to stop being so toxic. If they are a real friend, they'll listen to what you say. If not, they'll be happy to move along.
• Set boundaries! Perhaps only spend time around that person in a group setting, or keep the conversation within the real of Facebook.

Bottom line:  Some of you may not agree with the advice above, so figure out what works best for you. Just remember, life is short, time is precious, and friendships should be special. No one should literally drain the energy and positivity out of you. I can tell you from personal expierence that it's not easy, but it's totally worth it in the end. When you get rid of a toxic friend, you feel a huge weight lifted off your shoulders, a weight you didn't even realize you've been carrying around. It's pretty fabulous!