Attack of Potato Chip Woman

Let's pretend that you are famished and have not eaten in 2 days.  You are sitting in an empty room at an equally empty table.  A man walks into the room and offers you a bag of cookies or a bag of chips...but there is a caveat; you may choose only one bag.  Which would you select?  The bag of chips or the cookies? If you say "Neither, I would choose broccoli," then a pox upon you.

Seriously, though, I wish illness upon no one.  In fact, I myself had quite a scare myself.  You see, yesterday I had an attack...a potato chip attack; and I am still reeling with remorse.  More on that in a minute.

Much like driving a car without GPS, I made a maneuvering error in the grocery store yesterday: I went down the "chip aisle," or as I like to call it, "Pandora's Box." And yes, I bought a bag of potato chips.

We all know that it is okay to indulge in potato chips every now and then, and everything in moderation, blah-blah-blah.  However, when it comes to a sinfully crunchy bag of chips, the word "moderation" holds little meaning for me.  Why snack on a single serving of 12 chips (120 calories) when you can snarf down half a bag (calorie total unknown). 

You probably think that I am remorseful and full of self-loathing because I ate SO MANY chips yesterday, don't you?  Perhaps you believe that I am consumed with guilt for my gluttony. 

If so, you are incorrect. The root of my regret lies in...French onion dip.  No potato chip feast is complete without French onion dip.  If you have never been blessed enough to enjoy this evil-good combination of foods, don't start now or you could end up like me, greedily opening a bag of chips on the way home from the grocery store.  Darn, it's hard to drive when you're dipping a potato chip into dip.

But, I digress; my self-disgust lies with the fact that I bought "Fat Free" French onion dip.  Why in the heck did I destroy my date with snack royalty by purchasing fat free dip?  Perhaps I was subconsciously planning to eat the entire bag of chips and was looking for caloric redemption.

Fat free dip, for those who are not condiment-savvy, tastes like Elmer's glue with seasoning; it's not worth buying and certainly not worth wasting a chip-fest on.

So, take it from me, my chip-eating brethren.  Enjoy your fried morsels of potato goodness with  full-on, sour-cream based French onion dip.  If a love like this is wrong, I don't want to be right.

How to Highlight Your Hair: Easy to Do it Yourself Highlights

  
  Gently highlighted hair softens the face

If your hair is a solid block of color (particularly if it's is dyed), regardless of the shade, chances are that your face looks a bit more tired than you would like.  Unless you are in your twenties, a solid shade can look quite unnatural, resulting in a heavy look in the cheek area of your face while emphasizing bags under the eyes.

Highlights in the hair help rejuvenate a face, giving it a bit of sparkle and a gleam of youthfulness.  In just a few easy steps, we are going to tell you to how highlight your hair with do it yourself highlights.  It's easy.

   Red shades of hair look great with highlights

NOTE:

1. If you color your hair, highlight your hair 1-2 days after a fresh application of hair color.
2. Get a fresh haircut before highlighting your hair for best results.

PURCHASE:

1.    L'Oreal Multi-Tonal Color System in the Red Box is an excellent color/highlight two in-one boxed set.  Follow directions to the letter and you will have natural looking highlights that are awesome.

2. If you do not color your hair or wish to use a different hair coloring system, do so and wait 1-2 days to highlight as specified above under "Note".

3.     We also like highlight results using L'Oreal La Petite Frost for a little bit more "blonde."





4. Clairol HAIRPAINTING
is also a favorite of ours...but we are not fans of "cap" frosting/highlighting methods that use a cap such as Frost & Tip as the cap method is awkward to use.



METHOD:

• Wear an old shirt you don't mind getting messed.
• Prepare application according to directions.
• Wear hair as you normally would.
• Stroke highlighting blend as close to the root line as possible on a section of 15-20 strands. 
• Use a downward stroke from root to end of hair.
• Place 4 1-inch spaced strokes of highlighter on left of part and 4 1-inch spaced strokes of highlighter on right of part. Make sure the left and right side DO NOT match where highlighter is applied; it should look varied in placement.
• Run 4 strokes of highlighter down back of head from top to bottom of hair.
• Apply a few dabs of highlighter to wisps of hair jutting out of haircut along the jaw line.
• If any highlighter remains, bend at waist and flip hair forward.  Apply a few strokes of highlighter to underside of hair.
• Stand upright and wait length of time according to directions.
• Rinse and treat with conditioner for color-treated hair.
• Style and dry per usual and enjoy your new look

Older Women in Pursuit of Happiness at School

    If you are a middle-aged woman in pursuit of happiness, consider getting back into a classroom as a student. Taking a class, whether it is for college credit, continuing education, or just for fun, helps keep our middle-aged brains sharp so that we may avoid becoming like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz; rusty and frozen in time.

You would be surprised by the positive side effects of taking a taking a class or two, including meeting new people and learning interesting  facts. Who knows, you may even stumble upon a second calling in life or find a new passion.

  I attended college or took classes of some sort during my late teens, twenties, thirties, forties and, yes, into what is now my fifth decade. You may wonder if it is awkward being an older person enrolled in college classes - - and the answer is "No." As a matter of fact, I am rarely the oldest person in any given class [not that there's anything wrong with that.]

As a middle-aged woman pursuing happiness at school, you are likely to view teachers and professors with more empathy than you may have as a youth. Additionally, you may find that paying attention is a lot easier to do now that you have some years behind you.

Go online and see what the nearest community college or university has to offer.  Contact your city recreation center and see what range of classes are available. Take an online course, if that works better for you.  You may also wish to consult your public library for help or information about where to look for classes near you.

Remember the Tin Man? That is so not going to be US!

We look forward to your comments on this subject.

Monday is Diet Day, Losing Your Look,s & Visiting the Dematologist

What is the best day of the week to start a diet?  Monday, of course!  Or is it?  Who knows for certain?

If there is a particular day of the week that is scientifically proven to provide optimum results, I am not aware of it.  After all, if there were such evidence, it would be common knowledge considering the obsession we humans have with dieting.

Personally, when I start a diet (or as I like to call it, a "new way of eating), I always begin my "new me" diet on a Monday.  Unfortunately, I typically toss aside the concept of dieting as the aroma of non-fruit or non-vegetarian food wafts toward my nostrils; which is by approximately noon on Monday. Yep, the very same Monday I begin my quest to embrace a "new way of eating" is when my plan is generally shelved by 12 p.m. of the same day.

Surely, such weakness on my part indicates a complete lack of will power.  How in the world did my will power tank out so completely?  What the heck is going on here?

In the 1980's, my physique was (modestly speaking) sculpted and fit (with big hair, of course).  I progressed to curvy-yet-firm (along came blow-dried hair) in the 1990's.  Bearing two children in late 90's left me fit as a fiddle.  It was the 2000's, and the years since 2010 in particular that have brought me down; dragging me across the path of aging with physical evidence that has slowly crept its way upon every square inch of my person.

Firm chin?  Gone.  Small waist?  Adios.  Hair growth on the face (thanks, Grandma), dry heels, dry elbows, dry (you-know-what).  It's all gone, and worse yet, living otherwise is becoming nothing more than a fond memory.  But must that be the case?

Recently, I decided to deal with an aspect of my physical appearance that I thought would be easiest to "take care of".  Before I reveal my decision, take a moment to consider my options.  Do you think I went with:  (a.) meeting with a nutritionist, (b.) consult with a personal trainer, or (c.) visit with a skin care professional?   Ding-ding-ding!  If you chose (c.) Visit with a skin care professional, you are a winner.

That's right, instead of working on my weight and nutrition, I went for what I thought (HA!) was the quickest fix I could find to looking like my old self.

I took my sun-spotted, blotchy face (thanks, Mr. Sun) to a dermatologist and asked them to fix my face although that was probably the last thing that needed fixing.  I needed to lose about 40 pounds.  I needed to quit stuffing my face with everyone's leftovers, I needed to stop eating while hunched over the stove, cooking the family's dinner.  I needed to sit down and not read the paper while scarfing down the rejects of the meal that weren't "good enough" (in my mind) to serve hubby and the kids.

PHOTO REJUVENATION
I met with a skin care consultant at my dermatologist's office who recommended "photo rejuvenation" for my face.  She said my facial veins and accompanying red blotches were a result of sun exposure as  a teen, just now showing up on my skin.  I plunked down $150 and prepared for my first photo rejuvenation session the following week.

Photo rejuvenation is a procedure where pin points of laser light are directed to small areas on the skin's surface to get rid of red dots, broken capillaries and other small imperfections.

Photo rejuvenation can be done on the face, chest, hands, arms and legs.  Costs vary.  My 1st session, as I mentioned, was $150 for treatment of my entire face and to zap a few red spots on my chest.  Hands only cost $300 for the first session, likewise legs (lower portion only) and arms.  As you can see, costs can quickly add up!

ANGIOMAS (Red spots)

The procedure goes like this: You recline in a dentist-style chair, eyes are covered to insure that your eyes do not suffer side effects of the laser style light.  An Aesthetician cleanses your face then begins the photo rejuvenation procedure.  Although you cannot see, the aesthetician positions the laser's point to areas of your face and then should warn you that a treatment is about to be administered.  Each laser zap feels akin to being shocked with a small zing of electricity.  It is superficial and hurts just for a second.  In other words, it is bearable!  After getting zapped on all of your large red spots you are free to go.

Shortly after my photo rejuvenation treatment (which lasted 30 minutes) I felt as if I had a moderate sunburn on my face which a dose of Ibuprofen took care of.  I looked the same, but with more of a red-tone to my face.  The next two days, I was (as warned) mildly puffy in the cheek area.  The 3 larger sized red dots on my chest turned dark brown by day 3, as did an angioma (red dot) on the inner bridge of my nose by my eyebrow.  Today, on day 7, those same 4 red dots are dark brown but shrinking in size.

Small, broken capillaries and veins on my cheeks remain the same - still red and spider-like and thoroughly unattractive.  I return to the dermatologist in 2 weeks for a follow up exam and, I hope, promises that one more treatment will get ride of the small veins on my cheeks.  I will update in late June what happens.

I'm going back for a follow up visit I see that 3 larger-sized red dots on my chest that
Aetheticians will tell you that "more than one treatment

List of Recommended Wines For Women

Get Thee to a Winery!  Wind down with our list of recommend wines for women.  Read why we chose the wines below and please, do not over indulge.

Sweet wine is for baking or using in flaming desserts.  I don't know about you, but I've got no room in my waistline for super-sweet, sugary wines.  Therefore, we recommend:

BEST LOW-CALORIE WINE WINNER: Skinny Girl Wine

  Whether white, sangria, rose or red, this brand rocks and keeps the sugar-high away. Buy at Wal-Mart (Yes, Wal-Mart) for @ $10 per bottle.  Sells elsewhere for approx. $12-$13 per bottle.

BEST VALUE-PRICED WHITE WINE: Parker Estate Tolleson High Corniche
Crisp and best served super-chilled, this white wine won't go to your head. $10-$13 per bottle. Read a review HERE.

BEST BARGAIN JUG OF WINE: L'Epayrie Red Wine

This French red table wine is delish and cost-effective. Their white wine version is also a winner.

ALCOHOL-FREE WINE WORTH SIPPING: Sutter Home Non-Alcoholic Fre'Wines
Believe it or not, this alcohol-free wine from Sutter Home has a nice wine-like taste reminiscent of earthy grapes without the alcohol-infused burn.

My Photo Rejuvenation Experience

FIRST OFFICE VISIT: May 15
Recently, I met with a skin care consultant at my dermatologist's office who recommended "PHOTO REJUVENATION" (broadband laser therapy) for my face.  I made the screening appointment because I was concerned about red, blotchy areas on my face in addition to a large red dot on my chest (decollag) plus one red dot by my eyebrow.  The consultant said that small, broken capellaries gave my face the appearance of red blotches and were a result of years of sun exposure as  a teen just now showing up on my 53-year old skin.  Additionally, the skin care consultant identified the red spots on my chest and face as "angiomas".  The skin care consultant advised that the red blotches and angiomas could be diminished with PHOTO REJUVENATION.  I plunked down $150 and prepared for my first photo rejuvenation session the following week.

Photo rejuvenation is a procedure where pin points of laser light are directed to small areas on the skin's surface to get rid of red dots, broken capellaries and other small imperfections.

Photo rejuvenation can be done on the face, chest, hands, arms and legs.  Costs vary.  My 1st session, as I mentioned, was $150 for treatment of my entire face and to zap a few red spots on my chest.  Hands only cost $300 for the first session, likewise legs (lower portion only) and arms.  Furthermore, aetheticians will tell you that "more than one treatment" may be necessary.  As you can see, costs can quickly add up and prices vary depending on whom you visit.

ANGIOMAS (Red spots)

The procedure goes like this: You recline in a dentist-style chair, eyes are covered to insure that your eyes do not suffer side effects of the laser style light.  An Aesthetician cleanses your face then begins the photo rejuvenation procedure.  Although you cannot see, the aesthetician positions the laser's point to areas of your face and then should warn you that a treatment is about to be administered.  Each laser zap feels akin to being shocked with a small zing of electricity.  It is superficial and hurts just for a second.  In other words, it is bearable!  After getting zapped on all of your red spots and veined areas, you are free to go.

An hour after my photo rejuvenation treatment (which lasted 30 minutes) I felt as if I had a moderate sunburn on my face which a dose of Ibuprofen took care of.  I looked the same, but with more of a red-tone to my face.  The next two days, I was (as warned) mildly puffy in the cheek area.  The 3 larger sized red dots (angiomas) on my chest turned dark brown by day 3, as did a red dot by my eyebrow.  Today, on day 7, those same 4 red dots are dark brown and shrinking in size.

Small, broken capellaries and veins on my cheeks remain the same - still red and spider-like and thoroughly unattractive.  I return to the dermatologist in 2 weeks for a follow up exam and I hope that one more treatment will get ride of the small veins on my cheeks.  Yes, I've fallen for the hype and won't back down now..I would love nothing more than to not have to use heavy concealers under my make up.

I will update in late June what happens after my second visit to the dermatologist's office.
SECOND OFFICE VISIT: June 14
I returned to the dermatologist's office 3 weeks after my first visit.  Although I had not been thrilled with the results after one week of my first photo rejuvenation treatment, I did see results in approx. 8-10 days.  The angioma by my eyebrow was 90% gone.  The larger angioma on my chest  was50% reduced.  Broken capellaries on my cheeks fared about 40% improvement.  Worst was the high cheekbone area which receives the hardest hit from the sun's rays.  SUN + Unprotected skin=BAD!   Yes, I plunked down ANOTHER $150. 

I wore NO Makeup into my second session and she zapped my red spots and tiny veins.  Six days from my second treatment, I have to say I see a 20% improvement.  I'm holding out for better results in the coming week or two.  Will I go back for a third photo rejuvenation treatment?  Maybe.  I'll keep you posted.

Pants for Women with Tummies

I dearly wish that it was not necessary to write about a subject matter such as "Pants For Women With Tummies", but I must confess that such a need exists...for myself.

Luckily, my legs and hips are holding up just fine, fitting into the size 10 or 12 range.  But my belly?  (Don't you just hate that word, 'belly'?)  Well, my tummy has taken a turn for the worse over the last few years (years!) and I may often be found residing in a pair of comfy work-out pants.  You know the kind of work-out pants I'm talking about; stretchy, boot cut pants almost always in a shade of black.

Don't get me wrong, I do indeed work out, and therefore have earned the right to wear exercise pants.  Yet, I find more frequently that I look upon my stretchy exercise-style pants as a uniform of sorts.  Stretchy pants, if you will, are my "go to" garb of choice for the lower body.  However, the concept of wearing these stretchy slacks all day long is taking a toll on my psyche.  Where is my pride?  Why do I no longer wear fashionable clothing?  Should I blame it on my rotund torso?

Well, for your information, I do blame my lack of fashion-conscious attire on my waist circumference (a much nicer word than "girth", isn't it?)  Clothing options for women with average thigh and hip sizes who are also carrying an extra couple pounds in the waist have very few choices when it comes to clothes that fit well and look fashion-forward.  (Much like the dilemma a gal with plump arms faces, but that's a different story.)

I used to be fashionable, trust me.  What else would you call a women in her 20's wearing a black bra exposed under a tank top a' la' Madonna?  Of course, that was in the 1980's.  I once wore a size 8, had a sweet golden tan, and carried a giant can of hair spray in my purse just like the other 20-somethings.  But then I had kids in my 30's and everything went to hell.  Not my life, you understand, just my body and desire to look "hot".  Who cares about feeling sexy playing with the kids at the park?  Hubby never said a word, so onward I marched, deeper into mommy hood and the fashion pitfalls it secretly wields

Sure, not all moms are like me, caving in to comfort versus style.  I have friends with kids who are fabulously decked out no matter what time of day or night it may be.  I even have one friend who serves as a style consultant to refined women (which explains why she has never offered her services to me.)

My new mission, as of late, is to search for pants that will show that I can wear fashion-forward clothes and still be comfortable.  Because, if there's one thing a gal with a hefty (another hated word) waist needs, it's a flexible waistband she can breath - I mean feel comfortable - in.

While searching for pants for women with tummies, I realized a few important "DON'TS" for women with thicker middles:

1. Avoid Crop Pants.  If you have a generous waist, you will look like a squished marshmallow; short and stubby with a soft middle if you pull on a pair of these pants designed for clam-digging.  Trust me.

2.  Ban The Belt.  I don't care what anyone says, slap a belt around a burgeoning torso and that's right where someone's eyes will fall.  Belts attract attention to your middle and that's all there is to it - try it sometime, you'll see that I'm correct.

Okay, so what pants for women with tummies are a good bet?  Glad you asked.

1. Slip on jeans.  Do not laugh.  Jeans with trim stitched in the manner of regular jeans, such as those by Peck & Peck are comfortable slip-on jeans without buttons or zippers.  The waistband of slip on jeans is gentle and forgiving and well-designed slip on jeans such as those by Peck & Peck do not resemble maternity jeans as so many types of slip on jeans for women do.  I really like Peck & Peck jeans and purchased mine at Stein Mart.

2. Skirts.  Sure, a skirt is not a pair of pants, but they can be very comfortable and flattering.  If your legs have seen better days, wear tights under a skirt, or try wearing a pair of snug cotton leggings.  You'll look trendy and feel sassy.  Short gals need to avoid skirts that are too long and tall women can get away with any length of skirt, you lucky ladies!

3.  Drawstring pants.  Old Navy carries cotton drawstring pants in the summer that are comfortable and look nice.  Avoid drawstring pants that hike toward your armpits to keep a frumpy look at bay.

4.  Exercise pants.  Yes, you heard me correctly.  "But," you may ask, "aren't you trying to avoid wearing exercise pants?"  The answer is "Yes, and no" because I know that I cannot let go of my love of comfy, stretchy pants created with just a touch of Lycra or Spandex to help to keep my junk from jiggling (or so I like to think).  The key to buying exercise pants is to seek out those with fashionable colors such as purple, pink, or perhaps white.  Victoria's Secret offers cute casual pants with graphics that are alluring.  Additionally, BCBG carries several lines of casual gym-style pants with embellishments.

March on and seek out new ways to rock the fashion world, ladies!  Comfort and style can work together if you put your thinking cap on.

Lose That Menopause Weight

It's no secret that gaining weight after fifty is easy to do.  Nor is it a surprise that losing weight after fifty seems difficult, if not downright impossible, for some. For women over 50, there is a particular challenge to successfully lose menopause pounds which are attributed to side effects of going through "the change."

Men, too, have difficulty losing weight after a certain age.  Consider actor Alex Baldwin, for example, who strutted a less-than svelte form in the film, "It's Complicated."  However, look at him now...his middle-age tummy has taken on a youthful look and his entire body appears transformed as well.  To what does Mr. Baldwin owe his success?  Possibly to his wife, Hilaria, who has a background as a Yoga instructor and more.

While it is obvious that Mr. Baldwin did not have to go through menopause, perhaps he went through "Manopause" and has transformed into a studly new man thanks to his interest in Yoga (and likely a dietary makeover.)

  YOGA AND PILATES can help you lose menopause pounds.  Here's how.

1. Yoga creates body self awareness.  It is a pretty crummy feeling to not be able to hold a certain yoga pose because your belly is in the way (we know this from experience).  Yoga poses require excellent posture and being aware of your own body (and it's weaknesses) actually encourages you to aim for correct posture, increasing body awareness as you work toward a stronger, more flexible body.

That belly will shrink as you work on yoga poses.  Remember the old story about the tortoise and the hare?  Slow and steady wins the race. Work at your own pace, and don't forget to breathe.

2. Pilates movements encourage a focus on the body's core, or torso.  The back must be kept absolutely flat while performing various floor movements and the effort to do so will reward you with a tighter tummy and a stronger lower back as well.

Pilates also increases flexibility and strength, which turns your body into a fat-burning machine even when you are not engaged in physical activity.  Pretty super, huh?

Take a yoga class once or twice a week and try a Pilates class once or twice a week as well.  Buy DVD's if going to a gym or studio is out of the question -- there are a lot of great Yoga and Pilates DVD's out there.  Throw in some walking or cardio a few times a week and see if you are able to lose menopause pounds.  Give it a minimum of 6 weeks and then do a body check...good news, right?

Read more about the benefits of Yoga and why Yoga exercise is good for you HERE.