April 2003

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Announcing: The Stonyfield Farm Strong Women Summit
• StrongWomen Book Review: “Long Time, No See”
• Reader Questions and Answers
  • I’m broad and stalky--what program should I do?
  • Can my 62-year-old mom do Body Pump?
• From the Mailbox - Success Stories
• Recipe - Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos

JOIN ERIN BROCKOVICH AND ME AT THE STONYFIELD FARM STRONG WOMEN SUMMIT
November 14-16th, 2003

For years women have asked me to organize a Strong Women event where women from around the country could come to together to learn and get inspired to make changes in their lives, in their family’s lives and in the communities in which they live. I am pleased to let you know that I have joined forces with Stonyfield Farm to offer just such an event. The Stonyfield Farm Strong Women Summit will celebrate, educate and motivate women to believe that positive thinking and activism begins with health, good nutrition, exercise and attitude.

The motto for our event is: Instilling Strength--within you, your family, your community

The speakers for the Summit are all strong women themselves and include:

--Erin Brockovich:  Environmental activist
Title of presentation:  “Power of One”

--Loretta La Roche:  Emmy Award-winning comedienne
Title of presentation:  “Life is Not a Stress Rehearsal”

--Linda Mason:  Entrepreneur and Chairman and founder
of Bright Horizons Family Solutions
Title of presentation:  “Working Mother’s Guide to Life”

--And of course myself who will be talking about
Strong Women Living Well

Summit participants will also have the opportunity to
workout with the stars and hear their inspirational stories:

--Kathrine Switzer:  the first woman to break the gender
barrier and run in the Boston Marathon

--Kristine Lilly:  Olympic gold medallist and
World champion soccer star

--Karen Smyers:  World Ironman champion

STRONGWOMEN BOOK REVIEW:
LONG TIME, NO SEE

On occasion, we like to bring our readers information about new books we think you may enjoy or find informative -- hopefully both. This month, we are extremely excited to tell you about a new book entitled, Long Time, No See written by Beth Finke.

Beth was diagnosed with Type I diabetes as a young girl, when medical technology was not a fraction of what it is today in terms of monitoring blood glucose and insulin levels so they stay in an optimal range. Her earlier twenties brought significant vision problems associated with diabetes, and at the age of 26, after countless hours of doctor visits and surgeries -- not to mention an inconceivable amount of resilience and perseverance -- Beth lost the battle to maintain her eyesight. That same year, she and her husband had their first child, Gus, only to find that he had been born with a genetic disorder that would confer substantial physical and mental disabilities for the rest of their lives.

Be it her strength, her honesty, or her enduring sense of humor -- most likely a combination of all -- Beth manages to tell her story in a way that shocks, informs, and inspires. She says things that others typically won’t, and it is both refreshing and thought provoking. You will laugh, cry, and get angry with her, but mostly you will be left with respect and admiration. Long Time, No See is a fantastic read.

You can find the book at your local bookstore this month, or you can order it online here.

Q: I just started going to the YMCA and I’m 33 years old. What kind of exercises do you recommend for me to do? I have bad knees they seem to go out on me easily when the weather is cold or raining. I’m a chubby 5’3” and 239 pounds. I am the stalky, big shoulder type. Thanks!

A: This is such a common question -- we decided to give readers on update on sound, long-term strategies for achieving and maintaining a strong, healthy body. The first, and probably the most important, is move more. Whether its parking at the back of the lot, walking to the store, or really exerting more elbow grease and vigor when cleaning the house -- all will help you increase calorie burning and decrease sedentary time throughout the day. Vigorous exercise is crucial as well--and you can easily find these types of activities at the YMCA or any other good fitness center. It is important that you identify a sweat-producing activity that you really enjoy. Anything from brisk walking, especially with an incline, or using elliptical or stair-stepping machines will do the trick. Swimming is another great option, and it’s very easy on the joints, which might be a good option if knee pain is an issue.

Strength training exercises are also an important part of the equation. Strength training will help give your metabolism a boost, which will help you maintain your muscle mass while losing weight. Plus strength training will help your knees! Of course, all of your effort will be amplified by a reduced-calorie, wholesome diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy and meats and a minimal amount of high-fat foods and processed grains.

Q: Until recently, most of my workouts centered around aerobic activity, with an emphasis on running. I felt as though I reached a plateau both physically and interest-wise, so took up weight training, in the form of Body Pump classes. Are you familiar with these classes? I'm curious what your opinion is on Body Pump and also if you feel it would be adequate strength training for someone like my mother, age 62 and healthy.

A: While I can’t comment specifically about Body Pump, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. In general, I recommend a variety of activities, and group exercise classes are certainly among them. In terms of weight-training though, my suggestions is to follow the protocols outlined in all of my books, which is 8-12 repetitions and 2-3 sets of each exercise. This is the exercise prescription that will help you--and your mother--maintain strong bones and muscles. If you enjoy the class and are seeing results, stick with it. With regards to you mother, consider speaking to the instructor of your class and discussing its safety for an older woman. Her/his advice will likely depend on your mother’s current health and fitness level. Another consideration for your mother is whether she would feel comfortable in this type of class and whether the level is appropriate. Some classes that are targeted towards younger people may be too intense and too loud for an older person.

"I read Strong Women Stay Young in early January and could hardly put it down. With a mother diagnosed with osteoporosis and a sister with osteopenia, I have been very concerned about my bones and growing older. This book and its methods sounded wonderful. I immediately started the program and am loving it. I love how strong I am feeling, and energetic. I also am more flexible than I can remember ever being. After that first book, I also read the "Strong Women Stay Slim" book. I enjoyed this also. I am 48 years old and in very good health. I used to model, and weighed under 135 lbs throughout my whole life until I turned 40. By then I had given birth to 3 children and my metabolism started to slow, I guess. This program is giving me a lot of confidence in my body's ability to stay young. Thanks so much for all your information put forth in this book. I am telling everyone how great this is. For all my life I have been involved in some sort of exercise, but have never felt this great about doing it!"

-- Mary Jo

"I want to thank you so much for the work you have done and shared with the world. I have four of your books and have been helped by them all. I feel like my eyes have been opened to the need for strength-training because of your information. The book that has been the most beneficial has been Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis. The nutritional information about omega-3's is so helpful; I have already seen a difference in my mood and my energy level just by the simple step of adding a little salmon every day to my diet. Thank you for the time, the energy, the research you have put into these projects; they are truly needed and being used!"

-- Patricia