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Encouragement: Ending November with Thanksgiving and Inspiration! Live until you die!

11/30/2018

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Most likely you have over indulged on yummy turkey or ham and all the fixings, including delicious desserts and are ready to shed the gained pounds as quickly as possible. When you are considering those pounds to lose, think about your health and get back on your healthy diet as soon as possible.
.
While you are at it,
think about these lovely women,

who are inspirations to
all women and
are barely even known:

​
Bridget Riley - 87 year old English painter who had an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris ten years ago and has continues to win awards for her artwork. Her work is currently on display at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. 
​
​

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​Paula Rego - 83 year old artist who still works up to 12 hours a day, six days a week. She offers this insight to how she feels about working: "Even if I'm tired when I start working, bu the end I have a lot of energy," she says. "It's very important for women to keep working." She adds, "Hopefully (my life) will end at my easel - I'll just fall down sideways. Either that or in a drunken stupor."

An amazing woman, Rego worked on her art while raising a family and taking care of her husband with Multiple Sclerosis. She faced discrimination also, but she never let it detour her from her work.

She made this statement:

“When I first went to art school, I think the women there
were picked on whether
they would make good wives for the male artists,
whether they would have
an understanding of the troubled males.
Women were good either for going to bed with
or making good wives – particularly if they came with their own money and
​could support the men.”
​

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Gillian Ayres - abstract English painter, who died this year at the age of 88, made this statement at age 78:

"Old age is a bastard,
really, but it's only when you see a photograph of yourself that it is the most awful thing.
I don't feel any different to how I did when I was 15.
I would like the time again -
I would just paint."


She worked up until her death.
​

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​Maria Lassing - Australian artist who died at age 95, never married or had children. She didn't want to give up her art. She worked right up to her death. One of her biggest shows was when she was 89 years old in London.

On not having a family and devoting her life to her art, she commented:

“When I was young,
I was clever enough
to know that
if I got married or had children,
I would be eaten.”
​

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None of these women did not let age slow them down or stop them. They continued to work up until they passed from this world. Of course, they were doing things they loved.

Just because you are working now in a job that you hate or dislike, doesn't mean that you should work at it until you die. It means that you may have to work at it until you are able to retire and then start your next career doing something you love.

The message here is to keep active,
keep working,

keep living – live until you physically die,
don't die
before your dead.

Have you started a second career? Are you over the age of 50 and doing a job you love and never want to leave? Are you staying engaged in life? Please share your stories, others will be encouraged by them – I know I will!

XOXO
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Health and Wellness: 10K Steps? What's the deal?

11/20/2018

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Everyone knows that 10,000 steps is the magic number of steps by most experts.
But why?
Why not 9,000 or 11,000? Why do they say 10,000?

The answer is simple.
As an average, there are 2,000 steps to a mile. If you walk 10,000 steps you will have walked five miles. If you walk 10,000 steps everyday for seven days you will burn a whole pound of fat (3,500 calories). That's a pound of weight loss, even if you do nothing else. Wow!


Even though 10,000 steps is a great way to lose a pound a week, that doesn't mean that walking less is not extremely good. In fact if you walk a mile a day, you are helping your body stay active. You will lose weight slower, but you will still lose weight, if you change nothing else. (That's means don't eat more just because you are walking now. 🙂)


Don't start out walking 10,000 steps at one time if you haven't been walking.

Start with a smaller goal (2000, 3000, etc.) and gradually work your way up to 10,000 and more steps a day. If you try to walk for 10 or 15 minutes at first instead of step counting, that might be the incentive you need to walk more. This is a good way to start especially if you are a slow walker.

If you walk slow a mile might take you half and hour or more. Gradually work up until you can walk a mile (2000 steps) in 20 minutes, then add more steps.


Starting out slowly will help you avoid injury. You don't want to jump in all the way and end up with a sprained ankle or sore muscles. Pay attention to any signs that you are over doing it.

If you feel foot pain, swelling, breathing issues, discoloration of skin on feet, or chest pain - STOP!


Always wear sturdy shoes that fit you good. When you walk, your body is putting additional pressure on your feet and you want to be sure they are well supported.


Setting a high goal is a good motivator even if you don't achieve it.

You can set your goal for 10,000 or more steps and push towards that goal.

If you only do 2000 or 5000 steps, at least you are walking and moving in the right direction. The more you walk, the better you will start to feel, and before long you have made your goal.


Using a pedometer is helpful and even motivating.
But you can also set a timer and walk to time instead of steps.

Set a timer for 1 minute, start walking your normal pace.

After one minute make note of the number of step you walk in a minute.

Then you can use that number to figure your step count.

For example: You walk 60 steps in a minute, which is a really slow walk, for 15 minutes, you have walked about 1/2 a mile!

The normal person can walk 100 steps per minute without stress.


It is always a good idea to check with your doctor before you begin a new exercise routine, even walking!


Do you have a regular walking routine? How many steps do you average per day? Per week? Have you recently started a new walking routine? Do you have any tips to share? Remember, walk, walk, walk!


XOXO
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Product Reviw: Tropickles - Fruit Punch Flavored Pickles - Weird!

11/16/2018

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Pickles come in all sizes and flavors. They come in huge pickles that are generally dill, to small gerkins that are usually sweet. You can eat them dilled, sweet, spicy, hot, sour, Kosher, and many other ways – even fried! This month's product review is one of the strangest ones I have tasted yet.

Great Value is a Walmart brand and as I was searching through the pickles the other day and I saw a jar of 'red' pickle spears under this brand name. The label said "Tropickles" and described them as fruit punch flavored pickles. Of course, I had to try them, I try anything that's new.

The taste was extremely different from any pickle I have ever eaten. It was sweet with a faint resemblance to fruit punch, but mostly just in color. The taste had an undertone of a dill pickle with the fruity sweet taste over tones. Very different.

Now for the big question – Did I like them? Well, I didn't dislike them, but to say I liked them is a stretch. They were good and they were bad. They were sweet and they were sour. The real answer to this question is probably this – I would eat them until the jar was empty, but probably not buy them again.

Healthy? I think not. The dye to make the pickles 'fruit punch red' was enough for me to label it not healthy, but then if you add the sugar content, no – not healthy.
That's my review of the 'red' pickle known as 'Tropickles'. (Cute name though)

What is the most unusual pickle you have tried? What is your favorite pickle? Does this fruit flavored pickle sound like a good one to you? Would you be willing to try it?
​

XOXO
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Travel: Hand Washing While Traveling - Ladies I Am Ashamed

11/9/2018

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For whatever reason during our annual trip to the beach I noticed something that I never really paid a lot of attention to - hand washing habits.

With all the information we have available to us about the spread of germs that cause disease and illness, it seems our common sense has gone to the wayside.

Diseases are passed not only to other people through handshakes or touching,
they are passed on to ourselves. In other words, by not washing our hands we make other people sick and also ourselves. Yet, people (in this case, women) are still not washing their hands after using a public restroom.

During this trip I noticed women (as I don't have and don't want access to the men's restrooms 🤨 😉) that about one in four women actually wash their hands WITH soap after using a public restroom. This, in my opinion, is disgusting.

Women throughout history have typically been the cleaner of the sexes, but I guess that has changed.

Recently, a dear friend passed away, a male friend. My friend would NOT shake hands with anyone. I used to think this was a bit odd, but I respected his choice. I no longer think his choice was odd - I think he was extremely wise.

After witnessing all the women this week who either just walked from the stall to the exit door to the women who just 'rinsed' one of their hands off with water only and then left, I don't want to be touched by anyone or shake hands with anyone now either.

Here are a few tips for those of you who are like me and wash your hands after using any restroom (even my own).

THESE ARE ALSO TIPS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T WASH YOUR HANDS - READ AND HEED!

1. Always use soap. Rinsing with water only is not enough and oh yeah, WASH BOTH HANDS - what are you thinking by washing or rinsing only one? Water will not destroy any viruses or germs that cause disease. In fact, in some cases water facilitates the spread even more. Always, always, always use soap.

2. Open the stall door when you are done and flush with your back to the toilet and them exit the stall quickly. GET OUT OF THERE!

The overspray from the flushing can go three feet in any direction in the air.

EXCUSE MY BLUNTNESS HERE BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT: The overspray carries anything that in that toilet bowl. That includes pee, poop, menstral blood and fluids, and a host of other disgusting things. Do you really want the overspray on your face clothes, handbags, etc.?

3. NEVER use your clean, just washed hands to turn the water off, to push or pull a lever for paper towels, or hit the button on the hand air dryer. The person before you may not have washed their hands (or hand).

Touching can recontaminate your clean hands. Push or pull for a paper towel to be lowered before you wash your hands so that it is ready to go. Use your wrist to push the water lever down to turn the water off. Use your elbow to turn the hand air dryer on. NEVER touch these things with your clean hands.

4. Use a paper towel, your sleeve, or at the very least a piece of clean toilet paper to cover the handle of the exit door. See reasons in Number 2.

5. SIDE NOTE 1: Either carry a small baggie with cleaning towelettes (Lysol, Bleach, etc.) with you to clean the toilet seat, use the paper toilet seat covers offered in a lot of restrooms, line the seat with toilet paper, or better yet, DON'T SIT DOWN!
See reasons in Number 2.

6. SIDE NOTE 2: While in the restroom, keep your hands always from your face until you wash them. After you wash, if you need to blow your nose or something similar - WASH YOUR HANDS AGAIN AFTER!

7. ALWAYS FLUSH! I also noticed that several women did not flush. You know who you are - please JUST FLUSH! Who wants to use a toilet that is still full from some strangers using it? I know I don't. It is just courteous to flush after yourself.

8. While it seems like a lot of effort and is time consuming - it actually only add 45-60 seconds to do it right the first time. Who doesn't have a minute to prevent illness or disease from spreading around or leaving a mess for a fellow woman? Tell me please!
(NOTE: I don't like to rant about anything, but this is really a problem for ALL women. We are better than this - aren't we?)

Do you wash after using the restroom whether public or at home? Were you taught as a child to flush, wash your hands, and be clean? What are your thoughts on this post

XOXO
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Health and Wellness: Beautiful Beaches Even After Hurricane Florence - Yoga On!

11/2/2018

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(This blog was written while on vacation in September.)

This is my annual September trek to the beach. I love this week. I have been here when the weather was perfect, when it was raining off and on, when there were water spouts off the shore, and like this trip, after a major storm. Other than a lot of roads being washed out to and from the beach, it has been a glorious week. Not too many people here and therefore, more room for me to spend quiet and peaceful time on the beach...the place I love.

If I were home today, I would have already worked out at least 2 hours and possible 3 at the YMCA. I would have taken an hour of Pilates and an hour of Cardio Fit from my favorite teacher, Angie; I may have taken a Cardio Dance class with one my other favorite teachers Kim or Bruni. That's my life - when I am home.

Just because I am on vacation is not an excuse to slack up on the workouts. In fact, the beach is one of the best places I can think of to continue on.

At the condo where we stay, they have a fitness room (that I use) and a beautiful pool (that I use).

In addition to those things which should be obvious to anyone, I also do Yoga - on the beach! Yes, I do. I try to find the most secluded place I can so that I don't disturb those who are sitting watching the waves roll in or the children and adults playing games (like Bocce or building sandcastles).

I love doing Yoga on the beach. The mornings are beautiful, just as the sun is rising. The afternoons are beautiful, just after lunch and after a long 2 mile walk to the fishing pier and back. The evenings are beautiful, as the sun is sinking and the moonlight shines on the shore. Anytime is beautiful at the beach...as long as the weather is permitting.....lol, and I will do yoga at any time of the day, there is no wrong time.

I try to walk the beach a couple of times a day. It is exactly one mile to the fishing pier from my condo. So if I walk there twice a day, that's four miles! That's easy because I get so lost in the beautiful views, the sounds of the gulls and crashing waves, and the peacefulness of the shoreline. The time just flies by and I enjoy every single minute of it.

There are no excuses to not get exercise when at the beach.
You will enjoy the beach more if you do, I promise you.

If you start walking and get tired, stop and take a rest, but keep going. You can wear tennis shoes or go barefooted. You can let the waves hit your feet or you can walk just on the edge of the water and keep your shoes (or feet) dry.

As an over 50 woman (actually over 60 and proud of it),
I know the importance of walking and doing cardio, yoga, etc. Three years ago I couldn't walk a quarter of a mile without huffing, puffing, and hurting. But I stayed with it and now I feel great! Do it for your heart and your mind. It benefits both.

(NOTE: Many of you will look at my photos and think, wow, she's got big thighs and hips....yes, I do.
But I am working on it. If you had seen me three years ago, you would not know it was me, I looked entirely different - extremely over weight and out of shape. Also, very unhappy. I have come a long, long way and I still have a long way to go.

Please use me as an example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.

I am not a perfect 10 and probably at this stage of my life, never will be. I am proud of where I am now though and will be prouder when I get to where I am going)

Good luck to you in your fitness journey.
I hope I can be an encouragement to anyone who thinks they can't do it.

I will be writing and sharing my fitness journey with you at a later date. I am trying to put all the details together while still working on my next goal. Please stay with me, the story is coming.

Do you have a fitness while on vacation story to share? When you go on vacation, do you let everything go? Do you eat whatever you want whenever you want and reward yourself by not working out for whole time you are on vacation? Does this strategy work for you? Do you continue to maintain a workout schedule and healthy eating while on vacation like I do? How does that work for you and do you have any tips to share?
​

XOXO
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    My mission​

    Sharing thoughts and ideas for the woman over 50 that are helpful, fun, creative, inspiring and interesting. Over 50s who want to remain relevant, happy and loving their life.
    On fire for your own life!
    ❤ Sheryl ❤

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