In celebration of National Women’s Health Week, we will share some heart-healthy information and nutrition tips. Men can read and take this advice too!

In our previous post we wrote about the benefits of humor for staying healthy. Today it’s all about heart health. It’s almost dinnertime, so food is on our minds. Before we talk about the Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds I just ate, you get to take a quiz. What is the difference between these two hearts?

The answer is…Nothing. They are both healthy hearts. Bet you were tempted to say something about the plate colors or the size of the hearts, eh? It was a trick question because the hearts are made of almonds, and the American Heart Association (AHA) just certified the Whole Natural, Roasted Salted, Low Sodium, Sea Salt, No Salt and Honey Dijon flavors as heart-healthy.

Here’s some professional nagging from Alexandra, and if you’re one of her university students, you have to listen in case this makes the quiz – “Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., which is distressing, because so many of its causes are preventable. For example, who ate breakfast today? And was it from food close to the ground or was it processed into oblivion?

A quick story about our dad, who just lost about 50 pounds – After coming very close to being wheelchair-bound, our dad decided to lose weight. His health problems were due to a lack of activity and overeating. He significantly changed his diet and has stuck to it. For breakfast he has almonds, fruit, his coffee (he’s 83 and isn’t planning to give that up), and cereal (not the kind that comes in primary colors). So to us, having our dad “back” is associated with these foods, so you bet we’re almond fans! And how is a story of our dad relevant for National Women’s Health Week? He has three living daughters whose hearts would be healthy, yet broken, if he died due to preventable causes. So do what our dad did – but sooner!

* Get regular exercise (aim for 20 minutes a day if you’re currently doing nothing).

* Cut the high-fat, high-sugar, highly processed foods that you don’t absolutely love out of your diet. If we tell you to cut them all out, you won’t do it, so just cut out the ones you don’t love.

* Focus on protein and carbs that are close to the ground – meaning you can identify their origins. And healthy fat should be part of a healthy diet too.

Why Blue Diamond Almonds? Well, besides the AHA heart-healthy certification, don’t they make you think of skiing? We’re both blue square intermediate skiers who have done a few black diamond runs, which makes us Blue Diamond Girls, right?
Anyway, follow the path (or ski run) to a healthy heart. Move More. Eat Less. Eat Better. Feel Better. By the way, cats and dachshunds like the Whole Natural Almonds. This was discovered when they interfered with the photo session!

Ella has discovered the almond trail

Follow the Almond Brick Road!

Where does this trail lead?

Goodness rests inside a healthy heart

What do you eat for breakfast? For a healthy snack? What are you willing to give up?

Join us for a Tweetchat on Monday, May 21, 6 pm PST/ 9 pm EST, using the hashtag #BlueDiamond. We will be discussing hearts, health and food. Probably no discussion of our dad.

FitFluential LLC compensated me for this campaign. All opinions are my own.

It’s National Women’s Health Week, so this post is all about women and how humor can affect their health. Since I’m a woman (so is Kymberly, but she’s out of town, although I don’t believe leaving town changes her gender), I’m going to talk about myself since it’s my second-favorite topic (My #1 topic is somewhere near the end of this post. Guess ya gotta keep reading).

We were once asked (really? just once?) if we were aware our jokes are corny. And prior to an interview the other day we were sent this potential interview question: “Your writing style is quite casual and humorous. Do you feel this unique approach resonates with your readers? Are you ever concerned it could affect your credibility?”

My answers are “sort of”, “maybe” and “it depends”. Growing up as a red-headed, freckled, smart, four-eyes (this term I’ve never quite understood – how can my glasses have eyes?), nail-biting, socially unconfident, flat-chested twin (am I missing anything here?), it didn’t take me past the first nap of kindergarten to realize that humor was the only thing that could save me (and getting cleavage and contact lenses as a teen). Since research has shown that humor can help with:

• Bonding with friends and family
• Reinforcement of group identity and cohesiveness
• Increased friendliness and altruism
• Increased attractiveness to others
• Happier marriages and close relationships

I figure I’m okay with corny, since it makes us all cohesive, and that’s the sticky tape that holds us all together.

As to the casual, credibility question, I guess I think you don’t have to be serious to be taken seriously. After more than 25 years as fitness writers, speakers, presenters, teachers, mentors and even award-winners, we hope people will see value in what we write. Even if that doesn’t happen, we still made you healthier if you laughed at stuff like this:

Getting on My Chobani Face

Don't YOU miss the 90s?

Thong-tards & Reeboks

Yeah, I’m a Healthy Hottie! I’m going to live a long time. I’ve already achieved my dream – embarrassing the heck out of my teens just by existing (and talking about my 80s and 90s workout wear). And while I’m living longer, it will be with less stress, more relaxation, zapped up dopamine and endorphins, and less pain.

Okay, did any of you ever see the movie “The In-Laws” with Alan Arkin and Peter Falk? The year that movie came out I had 4 wisdom teeth pulled. When I was coming out of the anesthesia, I got off my recovery bed, wandered into the operating room, asked where the party was, then went outside and tried to re-enact the “serpentine” maneuver. It’s here for your reference:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I believe I was captured and returned to the recovery room by my mom, who laughed her ass off. Was it a humorous outlook that made my brain override the pain of the surgery? What else could it have been, hmm?

For the record, I was wearing regular clothes, not an open gown. That was probably best, since my re-enactment was in a public parking lot. Also for the record, my #1 favorite topic is Clive Owen. Or Colin Firth. Or my kids. Depends on a variety of hormonal factors; theirs and mine!

Humor also has cognitive and emotional benefits, which I interpret to mean that if I have writer’s block on a post such as this, I can just grin away and inspiration and creativity will come to me. Or I’ll just bite my nails for a while. Oh, even if you’re not feeling overly joyful, pasting a fake smile on actually tricks your brain, so you get some health benefits anyway. I’ll wait while you try it.
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Did it work?

This post is part of a bloggers’ challenge. If you want to participate, just write a post between May 13-19 about a women’s health issue that is meaningful to you, then click on the picture below to link it up. Please feel free to leave your link in our comment section below too!

And smile! Or frown and stand on your head. Either way you’ll get healthier! And you do know that exercise makes you happier, right?

What makes you laugh out loud? Smile quietly to yourself?

Guest Post from Taylor Ryan whom you can find at The Art of Weight Lifting

I am so excited to be writing this post! I have been a long time reader of Alexandra and Kymberly, and I feel honored to have the opportunity to write for them! Thanks ladies!

As a personal trainer it is my job not only to deliver amazing workouts to my clients but also to do my best at “implanting the workout seed” into their lives. I love when people work out not just because they have 15 pounds to lose by their next vacation but because they want to live a healthier lifestyle and genuinely enjoy the feeling that exercise brings them.

Okay, so if you’re not an avid gym goer, you might be saying “what’s there to enjoy about working out?” We all know exercise burns calories, helps you tone up, and be healthier. But these are things you would respond with “well, no duh!”

So today, I present some of the amazing benefits of working out that you maybe haven’t heard about that will make you say “oh, cool!”

5  Benefits Of Exercise You May Not Have Heard of:

1. Radiant Skin. Most women associate working out with breakouts and greasy skin, but it’s quite the opposite. Sweat is one of the best ways to naturally clean your skin. In fact, it helps to naturally push oil and dirt out of pores and is proven to help decrease acne and blemishes. Sweating is a natural detox method for the body. But it is important to wash your skin post workout so that the oil and dirt don’t settle back into pores as this would defeat the purpose.

2. Improved intimacy. Exercise helps in this department for several reasons, all of which are motivating. For one, according to a study published by the University of Arkansas, people who exercise regularly feel more confident and more desirable than those that don’t. This allows women to be more relaxed with their partner without feeling judged. Also, of course exercise helps to improve endurance and strength both of which are proven to be beneficial in the bedroom. The bottom line, aim to get just 20 minutes of exercise in most days of the week and you might be surprised how this affects other activities in your life.

3. Change your genes for the better. As we are able to study gene expression we are able to learn what factors affect the genes that get passed from generation to generation. Factors such as diet, stress and yes, exercise all can influence what genes are expressed. It sounds complicated but here is something that isn’t: a recent study published by Harvard discovered that an hour of exercise most days of the week can actually help cut genetic tendencies towards obesity, making it less likely for your body to want to hold onto fat and making it less likely that those “obesity genes” would be passed down should you have kids.

4. Forget about colds. Okay so maybe from time to time you will still catch the occasional cold. However following a regular exercise program can cut your chances of catching a cold by as much as a third. While most people catch 2-3 colds or upper respiratory infections a year, regular fitness lovers may experience 0-1, according to a study from Loughborough University. Though intensity matters, the same research also shows that too much exercise, such as training for a marathon, can weaken your immune system so it’s important to keep your workouts to a moderate and healthy level if preventing a cold is a goal.

5. Be forever young. Everyone is looking for a way to live longer and look younger. Well, instead of looking to expensive potions, pills and shakes, look to your fitness shoes. All the health benefits of exercise (improved heart, lungs, decreased chance of cancer, and better genes) all come together to help you live a longer, healthier life.

Now is the time to get moving. No more excuses. If you are already following a regular workout plan then you can smile knowing the amazing things you’re doing for your body.  Sure weight loss is important and a great motivator but isn’t it refreshing to see all the other benefits you can get?

Guest Author Bio:
Taylor Ryan is a NASM certified personal trainer and owner of a women’s boot camp in Charleston, SC where she lives with her husband. She also is the head trainer of the women’s only community The Art of Weight Lifting (Theartofweightlifting.com).

Photos provided and paid for via Taylor Ryan from www.stockphoto.com

Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA

Ever have a day (say, like a Monday perhaps?) when you need extra motivation to get out  and be active? Do some of you have that need pretty much every day? For those of you who like an intellectual jolt in the keester to stick with your exercise goals, today’s quotes and images may do the trick.

Kymberly: I took these photos while out on various power walks. Get fit; see nature; take pics; pair with quotes; share with you! What could be better?

• The first photo is of a rock pattern at Lizard’s Mouth in the mountains above Santa Barbara, CA taken when I was climbing the rocks with my puppy and nephew.

• The middle photo was taken at dawn at Rancho la Puerta Fitness Resort in Tecate, Mexico during a trail hike. Again, I was the lucky one to have this opportunity. Or to word it another way, only when at the Ranch do I get up so freeeeakkky early!

• The third image comes from a power walk with Kila (The Ultimate Fun and Fit pupster) at More Mesa along the Santa Barbara cliffs overlooking the ocean.

This last quote–”Strive for Perfection, Not Progress“–is actually one of our favorites as it underscores our philosophy: process over an overwhelming goal; do something consistently versus do nothing  or very little perfectly. We have run into so many people who say they want to be active, yet are stopped by “rules.” “Go this often, do exactly this routine, in this order, at this intensity. Don’t eat this; do eat that, and so on.” If you are already fit, then fine tuning like this is important. But if you are minimally active then anything is better than nothing. The key is to take action in the right direction as some action begets more action.

If motivational quotes help kick start your day, then use them (as they can’t be abused, really).

Alexandra: I am motivated by a quote from our colleague Dr. Michael Luan. He says, “What you move, you lose.” So if you twist your upper body when you walk, your chest will get smaller. If you move from the core, you can trim your waist. You can guess which one I prefer! As to my outfit, people have been wondering what we wear besides workout clothing, so this is one outfit that motivates me to stay fit, as I love these crazy shorts and want to fit into them forever!

Blue top – Green Apple Active

Wine top & Shorts – Ann Taylor

P.S. Did you know we compiled e-books chock full of inspirational, funny, on target health and fitness quotes: 63 Motivational Quotes and 73 Exercise Quotes? For one of the e-books (Mind Your Fitness – Mojo-vational Quotes and Sayings) we collaborated with one of best online motivators we know, Heather Frey of SmashFit. You can get our “30 Quotes to Fit You” e-book free by when you purchase any of the other documents. This compilation gives you a progressive quote a day for a month so you can stay on track when you start a new workout effort.

Also free via my Pinterest board, Quotes: Motivation and Exercise are a few Inspirational quotes like the three above. Why not follow us on Pinterest while you’re at it? KymberlyFunFit Pinterest and AlexandraFunFit Pinterest

How can I lose my tummy weight that did not go away that I gained during my pregnancy, even after I breastfed for 14 months? I want to be able to wear a two-piece bathing suit this summer and not feel ugly. At the moment I am taking a cardio class but I am not sure if it is doing the work. I want to be fit and have a nice tummy.
Ashley, Riverside, CA

Look closely to see Max the Purr Kitty sneaking into the shot

Kymberly: We hear your cry, louder than a baby’s and are here with good news/ bad news. The good news: we wrote a post called Wave Bye Bye to Baby Weight on this very subject that is loaded with help for your exact situation. Start by reading that and trying those exercises. More good news: We created a video with a super tummy tightening abs exercise that is a waistline definer plus all-over core strengthener. Try the Side Lying Plank Rotation Move and feel the challenge right away.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As for the bad news: You’ve got to get a move-on as summer is fast approaching. You are going to need to add more mid- to high-intensity cardio activity to your routine to burn the extra fat you may still be carrying.

Alexandra: Your tummy weight is probably two things – muscles that haven’t paid rent in a long time (possibly with stretched skin on top), and extra fat. The muscles can be toned via the video we made just for you, as well as via these other posts: Fab Abs 1, Fab Abs 2, and Fab Abs 3 (do those sound like 3 seasons of Absolutely Fabulous)?

As my sister mentions above, you will need to do some intense cardio to burn off the extra weight. I don’t know if you gave birth via the Big C or the Just Right V, but if it was the latter, you probably don’t like jumping activities, right? I pushed out two big-headed boys and hate to jump ‘cause it feels like I’m going to pee my pants. (Men, don’t read this bit…jumping actually does make me pee my pants. I hate that, and yes, I do my Kegels. And my kids are teens now. They had BIG heads).  We have a post called “Move Your Duff if You Want to Get Buff,” which goes into the “short time frame, big fitness goals,” but you might wish to do your high intensity in the pool or stick more with moderate-intensity and lose the excess weight a wee bit slower. Me, I prefer that path to buff glory! Try Step, stroller-based classes or QiDance.

Readers who have given birth and fought that “baby” weight after at least a year: What worked for you?