How is your golf swing? Now that the winter is closing in, its a great time to improve it.

Here is an article from Flourish;

That new power swing that promises to put you on the green in two could put you out for the season.  4 out of 5 golfers experience a back injury at some point, according to Sports Injury Bulletin.  One of the most common causes is a new swing, says Debra Gillis, a physical therapist with Colorado Sports & Spine Centers. 
"As you change your swing, you put different demands on muscles and joint that can lead to injury," Gillis says.
Today's golf swing relies on a tightly coiled body that releases its power at the point of impact.  This swing requires core strength and flexibility in the hips and back.
Maintain a year-round routine of Pilates, yoga or other exercise programs to reduce the risk of injury.  "This will also help improve your accuracy."  Gillis says.  Focus on;

• Building inner core strength.  Forget the sit ups and concentrate on exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor and the deep abdominal muscles.
• Increasing hip rotation.  Work on "turning over" your hips as you pull through the swing.
• Increasing upper-back flexibility.  Harness the power of the trunk through a full upper-back swing, rather than through the arms.

Increasing your flexibilility and core strength can be accomplished by the right set of exercises.  Check out my program to get started on improving your power swing Stabilize Your Core

Adopt an abundance mentality.

An abundance mentality flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security.  It stems from the paradigm that there's plenty out there...and enough to spare for everybody.  It opens possibilities, options, alternatives, and creativity.  Steven R Covey

I pulled this card today and it's amazing how other happenings of the day have already started with this thinking.  I had already posted a quote on FB about changing your financial or material status by changing the nature of your beliefs.  I also posted a quote about worth, how you would view your worth if you lost all your money and some interesting comments came out of that posting. 

Sometimes people are in that dog eat dog world and can't seem to take a step back and really look at how they are living, believing and comprimising life because of the pressure to be be be.  I know we have obligations that may not be what we would like and there are ways to work on ridding them, but some get trapped deeper and deeper feeling there is no way out.

Do you know someone that was knee deep in debt, maybe they own a house with a mortgage just out of reach and the stress level just kept building.  They may have had a job that they felt was secure and then the bomb dropped, they lost their job and everything else.  If their self worth was dependent on their high status, high paying position, how did it effect them?

Were they able to pull themselves up out of the rut, reevaluate what was really important and move on, or are they just blaming the world and stuck?  An abundance mentality shift can really help you with making changes necessary to line up more with what you believe so when the chips fall, you are able to move on much easier.

Get Fit and Rid of Fat after 50

Do you feel like you haven't enough energy to work out like you used to? As we get older we need to adjust our workouts according to our age, now that isn't all inclusive because everyone has a different fitness background and fitness level. There are things that do need to be taken into consideration when designing a workout program like; age, fitness level, medical issues, time devoted to exercise and commitment level.


Long, slow cardio is what we use to do, spending hours on the treadmill or elliptical, wasting away our life in an attempt to shave off a few extra pounds. Research now has it, that interval or high intensity training is more efficient, both time and energy wise. You can do this type of training even after the age of 50, but again it may need to be modified and progressions given depending on your situation.

Don't discount and use your age as an excuse to stay out of shape. I trained a 92 year old woman for a year since being here in Colorado Springs and I plan on being in the best shape I can be at that age too. I currently have a 77 year old that just started a program and I would never have guessed she was 77. You can start an exercise program at any time in your life. Never consider it too late.

If you or someone you know has doubts about what they can do or needs guidance, please do not hestitate to contact me, I would love to see the ah ha in their eyes when they accomplish much more than they thought possible. I have a Get Fit after 50 class available and can always create a class that may fit the schedule of your group. Visit Get Fit for further information.

Influence others by example.

Your example flows naturally out of your character, the kind of person you truly are.  Your character is constantly radiating and communicating.  From it, others come to instinctively trust or distrust you and your actions.  By Steven R Covey

As I sit here pondering this statement, I remember a conversation I had with a couple other women yesterday in our newly formed Mistressmind group.  We talked about what type of person we were and how that allowed us to communicate or to be misunderstood by others.  It's interesting how we come into a situation with different views of that same situation.  The trick is actually understanding where we come from, getting a feel for the person we are interacting with and meeting in the middle to understand and find a solution to the situation at hand. 
One of the women had taken some prior training in this type of behavioral process and she says we have to access the other person, figure out their communication style and then change ours to accommodate theirs.  She also suggested that we are not to be ourselves and to solely communicate with them on their level.  So, let me understand this, we both want to converse with each other and I am suppose to figure their behavioral style and then create a game plan, but what if they are coming in the same way, figuring out me and how they will approach me. 
I am not sure I agree with that but it could be my behavioral style coming into play.  I believe in being myself and finding a middle ground.  Usually both parties are not trying to do this, but why not just be yourself, ask what the other party is looking for and then proceed to talk about it.


Being anything other than my natural self wouldn't feel right and would come off as unnatural and possibly deceiving.  I do understand what the reasoning behind it and it actually is a sales behavorial technique that apparently is very popular.  We can always make the interaction run pretty smoothly if both parties meet in the middle, have an adult conversation and leave all the I can read people pretty well and as long as I trust and act on my instinct, I can communicate fairly well with most.

Can This Keep Blood Pumping Through Your Arteries?

Is Chocolate The New Superfood?
By Kevin DiDonato MS, CSCS, CES

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Stunning research shows chocolate may not be as bad as once thought. Sure, chocolate can be full of sugar and fat and some even consider it an unhealthy snack. But chocolate is full of special nutrients shown to have protective effects on heart health.

What are some of the potential benefits of chocolate you may ask? They include:
• Reduction in atherosclerosis
• Lowered cholesterol levels
• Lower LDL and triglyceride levels
• Protects LDL’s from becoming oxidized
• Increased HDL cholesterol
• Better blood glucose control

You might be skeptical about chocolate’s potential as a super food. It can be confusing when everyone is telling you how healthy eating and exercise are the only ways to lose weight, and chocolate should not be in the plan! How can chocolate be so helpful in protecting the heart?

One word: the polyphenol called Flavanols. Flavanols are typically found in fruits and vegetables, which is one reason we are told to eat 5 or more servings a day. The problem: not everyone enjoys fruits and vegetables. They do provide us with a wide array of vitamins, minerals and some fiber. They also are a great source of antioxidants, which can help reduce the damage associated with free radicals from oxidative stress.

Guess what? The exact flavanols found in fruits and vegetables are also found in chocolate!

Research by Hermann et al, concluded dark chocolate actually has a high polyphenol concentration. They were found to be higher than berries, tea and wine. Amazing! Not done yet. They also concluded high level of polyphenol concentration significantly reduced platelet activation in the body. Important, yes! Why? Let me explain.

Oxidative stress can lead to higher levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol levels. When LDL is oxidized, meaning free radicals bind to the LDL the cholesterol is more permeable and able to pass through the artery way easier. This results in inflammation and a resulting immune response by the body. The response is to reduce inflammation and prevent further damage to the wall of the artery. The problem: this response can cause accumulation of platelets and other cells in the artery. The accumulation interferes with the travel of blood and nutrients vital to the cells of the body. LDL cholesterol and other cells (macrophages) get trapped creating blockages in the arteries. Results: oxygen and nutrients not getting to the cells of the body. This can happen anywhere but it mostly happens in major arteries of the heart and other arteries in the body.

The high concentration of polyphenols bind to the LDL’s, preventing the oxidation process. One nutrient found in chocolate is responsible for this action. Research by Vinson et al, concluded Epicatechin, a major polyphenol, binds to LDL cholesterol preventing the oxidation process from happening. They also concluded the fat in chocolate acts as a pro-oxidative agent in the body. There is more!

Hannum et al, concluded flavonols found in chocolate may help to enhance heart health. They concluded the flavanols help delay blood clotting, improve endothelial function and help decrease inflammation.

Chocolate has many benefits on heart health. The exact recommendation for chocolate consumption and type has yet to be determined. However, research from Franco et al, tell us that chocolate in moderation is healthy and the most preferred choice is dark chocolate. The reason: dark chocolate has a much higher concentration of flavanols than white chocolate, which has very little. Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables are recommended for increasing our antioxidant intake, but moderate levels of chocolate can be good for protecting our heart and health.

For the chocolate lovers out there: You are vindicated! Let us raise our favorite dark chocolate covered, flavanol rich snack and celebrate! Since chocolate, especially dark chocolate is shown to provide protective effects on the heart and health of our vessels and arteries we have plenty to celebrate!

I've had these Cravers Nutritional Bars and I like the almond bars the best.  Order a box and let me know what you think or call me and you can try one out.

Avoid These Hidden Food Traps That Can Add Stubborn Belly Fat

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Full of fiber, protein, and essential fats, breakfast is the best way to start the day.


Most people do not have the luxury of eating breakfast at home. As a society, we are on the run constantly. Go here, kids have soccer there, and your husband or wife is planning to go to a party here. Our lives have become so hectic, we sometimes are forced to eat on the road at fast food joints or burger stands.

What do we find there for food? Pre-processed, high-calorie, and nutrient-dense foods which our bodies can do without! Portions are larger, and fast food companies and restaurants are trying to pull a fast one on us. Not just by supersizing a meal, but by adding toppings which makes the drink, food, or snack more appealing.

Here are some of the common food choices which have a TON of hidden calories!

Breakfast:
Pulling up to the drive-through window, you see all the yummy-looking food you can choose from. You just can’t decide on what to get. You are trying to lose weight, but the best option they have is a low-fat muffin or a bagel with low-fat cream cheese. You pull up to the window and get your softball-sized muffin or saucer-sized bagel. What’s wrong with this picture?

The muffins we are eating today are 6 times larger than a muffin from 20 years ago. The increased size is leading to extra calories and more fat in our diets; not to mention, a product considered low fat needs to fill the space with something else. What do they turn to: sugar! Extra sugar and calories lead to increased waistlines and other health conditions if we are not careful.

The same goes for a bagel. A bagel 20 years ago was 3 inches wide and 140 calories. Today’s bagels have ballooned to 6 inches and weigh in at over 300 calories!

Of course you need to have coffee with breakfast, right? The average size of a cup of Joe has increased over time. Coffee, in its natural form, is good for you. It provides plenty of antioxidants which help reduce damage to the cells of the body. However, what is added to the coffee increases the calories. Adding cream and sugar to coffee jacks up the calories and adds extra fat.

Lunch:
Ever go to a fast food place and order a salad? With obesity on the rise, fast food companies are offering salads. Salads are great for you. A salad can have plenty of vegetables, fiber, and other nutrients which are good for the body.

What happens is you have different options and toppings to choose from. Those different options are loaded with extra cheese, croutons, and dressing, which make it more appealing, but also increase the calories and fat.

Next time you order a salad, ask for the dressing on the side. This way you can dip your salad and monitor the amount of calories you are eating.

Dinner:
I love those steakhouses which have fall-off-the-bone ribs. Delicious! However, these foods also have hidden calories. Your meal comes with sides. You order the potato, then you have to decide if it comes loaded with brown sugar and butter, or just loaded with butter. Always get toppings on the side! This way you can put them on yourself and monitor your calories.

Also, the meals are HUGE! Meals are made for two people. Two options here: have them box half of the meal for you, or share it with someone else. This way you can enjoy the meal and save calories too!

One more thing: watch the way food is cooked. Foods which are prepared in their own juices, sautéed, or deep fried have higher calories, fat, and trans fats than something grilled. Choosing the grilled item from the menu will help you cut calories, which helps you stay healthy and fit.

Eating out does not have to be a quick end to your weight loss goals. Making smart choices and not overdoing helps you keep calories in check and prevents you falling for the hidden calories common in fast food takeouts.

Remember, grilled is better than fried or sautéed, and get your toppings on the side. This way you can have better control over calories, and this helps you lose weight and keep it off.
 
If you want more information, articles and Pro Grade Nutrition products.
 
For more tips and articles like these sign up for Power By Choice monthly Newsletter