Getting in Shape: 10,000 Steps to Terrific Health

Written by Thomas Ogren


Getting in Shape: 10,000 Steps to Terrific Health

Thomas Leo Ogren

What if I could show you a completely simple, inexpensive, low risk, foolproof method to lose some weight, get healthy, and get in shape? Sound too good to be true? Well, it is true, and all it takes is a serious commitment and a $15 step-counting pedometer.

It has been one full year now since I first strapped on a pedometer and started getting my 10,000 steps in a day. I’ll be honest, at times it has been tough, butrepparttar rewards have been remarkable. I have no idea who first startedrepparttar 114849 concept of getting in 10,000 steps a day as a way to get fit, but sometime in 2003repparttar 114850 idea started to get considerable press. The University of Minnesota thought so much ofrepparttar 114851 idea that this year (2004) they passed out free pedometers to every single staff member ofrepparttar 114852 University. I first read about 10,000 steps in a newspaper and then heard about it onrepparttar 114853 radio. I looked up pedometers on Ebay and bought two step counters for five bucks each. I gave one of them to my wife who loved it but within a month had lost it. I managed to hang onto mine and it worked perfectly for 11 months before it finally stopped working. These first step counters were mechanical and needed no batteries. You just clipped them on your belt, started walking, and they counted every step you took. I was in New York last month, to give a talk on Long Island, when my first stepper quit on me. I was one day without it and withdrawal symptoms were quickly setting in. I went to a Sportsmart and for $14.95 bought a digital replacement,repparttar 114854 one that I’m wearing right now. It is a Sportsline 330 brand and it doesn’t count calories or miles, just steps. But that’s exactly what I want it to do. As I write this I have exactly 3,627 steps on my pedometer. This means that I have plenty of walking yet to do today, but I know that I’ll do it. I am a writer; it’s what I do for a living. Last October I had just finished writing back-to-back books. I had no sooner finished writing Safe Sex inrepparttar 114855 Garden, for Ten Speed Press than I had to immediately dive into working on, Whatrepparttar 114856 Experts May NOT Tell You About: Growingrepparttar 114857 Perfect Lawn, for Time Warner Books. As a result ofrepparttar 114858 almost constant work on those two books I spent close to a solid year glued to my computer. Now, computers are handy beasts, no doubt about that, but working at one is hardly what we’d call good exercise. I had gained weight, some 30+ pounds of it, and I was 56 years old, fat, and out of shape. I finishedrepparttar 114859 last book, sent it off torepparttar 114860 publisher and bought my first pedometer. That very first day it arrived I put it on and went out and walked until I had my 10,000 steps. Quickly I found out that this took time, effort, and energy. That night my legs were a little sore but I felt really good about myself. I was doing something positive, something that might well get my big rear back in shape. I discovered that pedometers work best if there are no clothes covering them. They have to be free to be able to register each step and need to “feel”repparttar 114861 movement. Also, shorter people get a “better deal” with step counters. If a 6 footer and a 5 footer both walk five miles together,repparttar 114862 shorter person may well get in all of his 10,000 steps, whilerepparttar 114863 taller one may well still be a few thousand short. I’m 6’ 2” tall myself, so I need to get in plenty of mileage to get my 10,000. Shorter people claim though that they have to work harder and step faster to keep up with their long legged companions, so I suppose it all works out inrepparttar 114864 end. Most of my life I have worked out and tried to stay in shape. I’ve boxed, jogged, lifted weights, done calisthenics, played tennis, hiked, done isometrics, you name it, and I did it. And all of these things worked too, to a point. But none of them worked half as well as putting on that pedometer and saying to myself, “Tom, you will get in at least 10,000 steps every single day from now on. Rain or shine, feeling great or not, busy or not, you’re going to get inrepparttar 114865 10,000 steps every single day.”

Should I Have A Face Lift?

Written by Wendy Owen


Should I Have A Face Lift?

Good question! A face lift is major surgery and surgery means blood, mess, discomfort, stitches and time out to recover. A face lift is expensive too.

There are risks to consider, one is hematoma whenrepparttar blood collects underrepparttar 114848 skin and has to be surgically removed. Damage torepparttar 114849 nerves that control your facial muscles is another although this is less common. Slow healing time can also be a problem although this is found mainly in smokers. Oh! and don't forgetrepparttar 114850 usual risks that are involved with anesthesia.

Onrepparttar 114851 plus side,repparttar 114852 effects of a face lift are quite dramatic. It is without a doubtrepparttar 114853 fastest and most permanent way of shedding your 'old' face and regaining some of that youthful beauty you were born with..

If you've considered these things and decided thatrepparttar 114854 final outcome is worth it, then proceed, but first please ask yourself these questions.

Why do I want a facelift?

Am I doing this because its going to help me findrepparttar 114855 job that I really want? This is a valid reason for going ahead. It shouldn't matter to those that hire people how oldrepparttar 114856 applicant is or what they look like, but inrepparttar 114857 real world we know that these things do play a part. If you have a job that has a lot of public exposure, this may also be a good reason to proceed.

Am I doing this because my partner wants me to? Red alert! Never let anyone else talk you into having a facelift. It is a very personal decision and one only you should make. Ask yourself why are you with someone who values you only for your appearance. Honor yourself, you are more than your face! Perhaps you should be working on your relationship and leaving your face alone!

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