Do you feel guilty?

In my weekend reading, I came across an article that talked about how fitness buffs like you and me actually create anxiety in the minds of many; that our love of fitness and health can often be interpreted as bullying. Yikes! And here I was thinking it was inspiring! 

Question: Do you feel guilty when you don't work out?  Or make others feel guilty - even inadvertently? Just wondering.....  

It's Arnold time! (almost)

We're gearing up for another great Arnold show in March and already we're organizing a fabulous Oxygen booth. Last year we had the energetic Lindsay Messina (pictured here) joining our other popular Oxygen gals for demos and this year will be no different. Don't forget to drop by and say hi to me and bring lots of pics! If you have a before/after story, I'd love to hear it!

Have a great weekend and we'll talk soon!

Smarter women lift weights! (duh)

Hey, gotta give a shout out to Gretchen Reynolds at the NY Times whose column "Brains and Brawn" that appeared in yesterday's magazine cited new studies that suggest a stronger link between resistance training and better cognitive function.  Even though she writes that the science is only with animals to date, it is still fascinating that researchers are saying the data is promising. Again, as it is still so new, researchers are only speculative at this point but the studies on older women at the Brain Research Centre at the University of British Columbia, according to Reynolds, is interesting - older women who lifted weights had better brain scans than those who did toning classes. And why? Only speculation at this point but it may be due to the fact you have to think about what you will be doing before you begin to lift (compared to simply getting out the door for a run or join a toning class, for example). 

In any case, it's all great stuff!  

Question: How do you feel 1. after lifting weights 2. cardio? 3. yoga? Any different? 

Do you know somebody like this?

I'm sitting behind a gal the other day in spin class and I notice (as I'm apt to do) that she is quite lean - almost scarily so. After the class, as she was wiping down her bike, she commented to her friend that she found another great way to work out.... right after her spin class, she hops in her car to a kick boxing session!  Yikes! Don't get me wrong - I like working out a lot but to me that is veering on excessive. 

And it made me recall another gal, almost skeletal,  who made a practice of doing back-to-back classes at my sister's gym...is this becoming more common do you think? 

Question: Would you mention your concern or think it is none of your business? 

Are you in the moment?

I'm pretty sore today from (of all things) yoga last night - the instructor is superbly talented at finding weaknesses (particularly hip flexors in my case) and then going for it...she's really terrific. But I have to say that while one of the women in my class actually fell asleep during the latter portion of the class, I found myself figuring out what I needed to do to get organized for the next day. I know! I know! It isn't exactly in the yoga - mantra of meditation, but not sure what to do about it? 

Question: What do you do to relax in the moment? Any tips to share? 

Oxygen on the go

Ok, so let me know - if Oxygen can be yours anywhere you'd like (and why not?) , what would you prefer, ideally? Your phone? Your iPad? Your Nook? What's the device of your choice? No promises here in this early part of 2011, but I'm curious to know your ideal way of getting us to you!

Question: How would you like to get Oxygen?

I'm a little ticked off!

Ok, I admit - put my irritation down to post-holiday angst but I ran across a study over the holidays on Gretchen Reynolds NYTimes blog "Well" and it made me see red! I enjoy her blog and the details of the study were interesting: she wrote that even though elite male athletes were active in their youth, it didn't translate into good health when they stopped working out when they were older. Fascinating stuff, really. (it was posted Dec 29, fyi). But my irritation stems from one question - what about the gals? When are we going to get similar data about elite female athletes? Or do we always have to glean the info from the guys? I think it's time study authors (this time from the British Journal of Sports Medicine) took the time and trouble to do a large study of women athletes.

Question: Am I off base here? Or do you agree with me?

There's no better time!

It's time to make those resolutions - and stick with them! What's the best way you've found to stick to them do you think?