The Official Online Publication for "Minnie Pauz"
The Only "Monthly Arrival" You Can Count on in MidLife!

Dear Minnie Pauz Fans, 

What else can we talk about in January but losing weight? We all have different issues and different techniques that work (or don't work) so we have to keep talking about it until we find what works for US! There are a couple of things that EVERYONE should pay attention to!

• There's really no easy answer!
Once I quit bouncing around from diet to diet and accepted the fact that I was going to have to do the work, it was
easier for me to stick to my chosen plan long enough to start seeing results. Give yourself a chance! And find someone
that inspires you and can help you stay motivated. It might be a celebrity or a weightloss guru, or it might be a woman
just like you who has been through it already and is dedicated to helping other women.
 
• You have to move your body!
This is one of the toughest things to start doing when you haven't been moving for a long time. The secret is to take small 
steps and don't listen to all the "experts" that say you have to do strenuous exercises for 30 min., 7 days a week. That is depressing! What I suggest is to one activity that you haven't been doing and set small goals (like 10 min), but do it every 
day at the same time. You will discover a new found pride in yourself if you do it for 2 days, then 3, etc.  If you can do it for
a week, you will have the beginning of a healthy habit! For me it was walking and I think the hardest part was doing it ever day, but when I told friends on Facebook that I was going to do it, I had extra motivation...or rather, accountability. This was my expression of joy when I had walked for 30 days! 
 
• Choose a plan that you KNOW you can live with!
There are so many possibilities and it's difficult to figure out which one is going to work for you. Most of them are complete
lifestyle changes and require your commitment, but if you're truly ready to lose weight and get healthier this time, it will be
more a feeling of being in control and accomplishment than anything. You have to want it. Here is a comparison of all the 
programs out there. You can choose up to 3 plans at one time to compare. I would suggest that you take the time to go 
through the list and get a good understanding of what each one involves and decide which one sounds more like you. I chose
Atkins a long time ago because I believe in the theory that "fat doesn't make you fat". You can read about my  progress here.
 
• Read labels on everything! Avoid any product that has HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) or unfermented soy!
If you only pay attention to one thing on this page, let it be this! This stuff is in everything except fresh foods. High Fructose Corn Syrup may masquerade on ingredient labels as HFCS, HFCS Solids, Fructose Syrup, or Fructose Solids. Food manufacturers started using this sweetner (made from corn) because it was cheaper than pure sugar. Naturally, there's a huge battle going on between the sugar industry and the ones who use HFCS in their products. This list was done in '09 so it's possible that some have removed it from their products, but that's why we have to scrutinize the ingredients on the labels. 
 
Here's a post I read that really has some great information for all of us:
"After age 45, menopause or not, most women and men suffer ftom the American Estrogenic Diet, which produces Estrogen Dominance. The more fat cells you have, the more estrogen you make. The largest contributor to fat cells is high fructose corn syrup. The biggest contributor to hormone-induced estrogenic fat is the consumption of whole, raw soy which is adulterating many of our foods. Asians consume mostly fermented soy, and soy is not as dominant in the Asian diet. But Americans consume large amounts of whole soy in many foods they eat. Read your labels and avoid HFCS and Soy! Also try to consume grass-fed beef instead of corn-fed beef. Corn and grain products cause inflammation. Inflammed bodies can’t lose weight effectively!"  Stan
 
• Eat plenty of chocolate!! :) 
But first, read this and find out why you might be "addicted" to chocolate and what to do about it! :)
To the true chocolate addict, nothing else has the same appeal. The reason may not be its creamy texture.  Researchers checked whether any of the fats (which are plentiful) in chocolate mimic the chemical structure of psychoactive drugs.  As it turns out, chocolate contains compounds similar to those in MARIJUANA!  “White Chocolate” contains none of the natural, marijuana-like substances, since it is actually made of milk and cocoa butter, rather than true chocolate.  Not surprisingly, it has nowhere near chocolate’s appeal.
 

There's still time to get your 2012 Minnie Pauz calendar!! What better birthday gift to give than something they (and you) will use every day of the next year! This year's model even has a note section for some of the reminders that don't fit into the date squares. :) As you all know, we can't  have too many reminders these days! The other reason we should all have one of these is.....it makes you smile every time you look at it! :) 

Now if you'd like something for your favorite (female) co-workers, you could get them a copy of "Laugh Your Way Through Menopause" (at a very low price), which is full of cartoons and funny stories sent by my readers!

If it's menopause stories you have to tell, go HERE and get it off your chest! If you're past all that and, like me, you start thinking of things like dementia when you're forgetting stuff, then go HERE and share your thoughts!

Dee
The Original Rebel with the Pause!
Copyright © 2011 Dee Adams All Rights Reserved

Ouch! Weight room blunders that can really hurt 

Women are hitting the weight room in record numbers, and a new study found that weight-training injuries among women have jumped a whopping 63 percent. Here are the most common slipups and how to fix them, so you leave the gym strutting — not limping. Read the full story.....
 

Exercise Eases Menopause Symptoms 
Study Shows Regular Exercise Improves Mental and Physical Health of Menopausal Women By Jennifer Warner WebMD Health News

It's never too late for women to reap the benefits from starting a regular exercise program, according to a new study that shows exercise can relieve the symptoms of menopause and improve quality of life.

Researchers found menopausal women aged 55-72 who started a yearlong exercise program experienced significant improvement in both mental and physical health while those who didn't exercise got worse. Read more....
 

Do Downward Dog for Better Downtime
Yoga can help decrease insomnia for women after menopause

If menopause is keeping you up at night, consider using part of your days for yoga sequences that a study has shown will help reduce that insomnia.
A study that compared the experiences of postmenopausal women who did yoga for four months to women who didn't showed that the menopausal yogis had improved sleep and a higher quality of life. Lead author Rui Ferreira Afonso of the Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo in Brazil and his team wanted to find out if yoga could help treat the insomnia of women in menopause. Full article.....
 

When Will You Reach Menopause?
What matters, and what doesn't, when trying to predict when you'll reach menopause. By Gina Shaw - WebMD

It’s a question many women wonder about, especially if you’re thinking about planning a family and your 20s are but a distant memory.
How many more years of fertility might you have, and how much longer will it be before you start experiencing “the change?”
Here's what does -- and does not influence the age at when a woman reaches menopause.

Dr. Shira Miller, M.D. reminds us that the average US woman who makes it to age 65 will most likely live to age 85? That means she'll live for more than 30 years in menopause. What do you think about living that long with an untreated hormone deficiency and all the short and long-term consequences?

Menopause and Your Teeth By  Barbara Kantrowitz - Life Goes Strong

As you approach menopause, your gums and teeth need extra care! There are lots of ways you know you might be entering menopause: your periods have become irregular, your sleep isn't great and the calendar is inching toward 50.  But there's one sign that your dentist can detect and that is the state of your gums. That's right – your gums. Read full article here......
 

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How to Increase Your Metabolism Post Menopause By Susie McGee, M.Ed

Most women need to increase metabolism post menopause in order to battle weight and overall health issues. As women age, lean body weight decreases, while fat weight increases. This is largely due to hormonal changes in the body, although genetic and even environmental factors can also play a role in your metabolism. What can you do to increase your metabolism if you are of post menopausal age? Keep reading for some excellent tips and advice.
 

The 10 Best Tips For Weight Loss After Menopause

Is it possible to have weight loss after menopause? Have you noticed that you’ve had trouble maintaining the weight that you used to be able to manage easily?

Do you find that your extra weight has started to accumulate around your abdomen instead of distributing itself? Is it even possible to turn this post-menopausal trend around? Sure it is! 
 

Heart Attack Symptoms for Women
Another reminder of how signs of a heart attack are different for women. Share your story HERE. Please remember as you are reading this information that I am not in any way qualified to tell you if you are having a heart attack! If you experience any of the symptoms you read about do not write to ME...call your DOCTOR! If it's after office hours, there will be an answering service who will get your message to the doctor and he or she will tell you if you should go to the ER. 
 

Interesting Facts about Getting Older

• Negative thinking can cause problems: Elderly people who worry about falling over tend to fall over more often that those who don’t
• 66% of individuals 75 or older are in good health: Only 34% report fair or poor health at 75 or older.
• Working past retirement can keep you alive: Many long lived professionals keep working after retirement age, even if it’s just part time.
• A happy marriage can save your life: People living in happy marriages tend to live longer, but getting rid of a troublesome spouse can also have a positive effect on your longevity.
• You can’t get enough reservatrol from wine: Reservatrol, found in wine, can slow the aging process, but wine does not contain enough to make a difference.

With thanks to Masters in HealthCare

Older Women and Sex  By Barbar Kantrowitz
The majority of older women are pretty happy with their sex lives, a new study says

A satisfying sex life is an important factor in personal happiness – whether you are 25 or 75. But too often midlifers feel that their happiest days are behind them. Many midlife women in particular worry that the loss of estrogen at menopause will shut down their libido.

In fact, in studies I looked at for The Menopause Book, one of the most common reasons that midlife women failed to have a satisfying sex life was lack of a partner. In other words, the will was still there. They just had to find a way. Read more....

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