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If you’re like most boomers who play golf, you buy the best equipment, you take golf lessons, and you practice every aspect of your game trying to get better.

YET You may still have back and shoulder pain.You still don’t get the distance you want off your clubs. Sometimes you feel exhausted during your round. Something is missing, isn’t it?

You can read this entire post or just cut to the chase: Check out this new product: GettingGolfReady.com

What’s missing is the physical conditioning necessary to be the best golfer you can be! Physical conditioning you ask? For golf? Why?

Ask yourself these questions:

• How often do you rush to the golf course just in time to tee off?
• Do you take the time to warm up at the driving range or the putting green?
• Do you give yourself any time at all before that first swing?

If you love the game and want to play well, proper physical conditioning is absolutely necessary.

Here are the Facts:

• The golf swing is one of the most complex movements in all of sports.
• The golf swing is explosive as well as a bit unnatural.
• The golf swing requires strong, flexible muscles.
• Without this strength and flexibility, your swing will never reach its full potential!
• Without strength and flexibility, your risk of injury is high!

Unfortunately, most recreational golfers take the physical aspects of golf for granted because of the slow pace of the game. The result:1/4 to 1/3 of all golfers get injured while playing golf,with 40,000 trips to the emergency room each year.

Women suffer more upper body injuries than men, but are less prone to back injuries than men.

In general, the vast majority of injuries are from poor swing mechanics and a lack of physical preparation. And, of equal importance, most technical problems with the golf swing are closely related to a lack of proper strength, balance and flexibility.

What can you do? While your teaching pro will help you with swing mechanics… Who advises you on how to remain injury free? Do you know what exercises are absolutely necessary for golf? Do you know which exercises will help, and which will hurt? Most likely not.

But, you are not alone! The average recreational golfer does not have the expertise or knowledge to design golf specific exercise programs.

You may not have a lot of experience with strength training, or understand what muscles are used during the swing and how to make them strong and flexible. There are many fitness instructors who can help you with an exercise regimen, but very few who are expert at getting you fit for golf.

Seek out a golf fitness specialist who can teach you how to get your body in shape and keep it in the best condition for golf.
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The Getting Golf Ready Program can help. This program walks you step by step through a series of self assessment evaluations that help you discover your specific areas of weakness and guides you to exercises that will improve your strength and flexibility so necessary for playing great golf. Go to GettingGolfReady.com for more information and to sign up for the FREE video series.

SPECIAL NOTE TO ALL YOU GUYS: Although sponsored on GolfGurls.com, the GettingGolfReady Program works just as well for men as for women. Check it out! You won’t be disappointed.

One of the problems of health insurance is the rising demand for higher profits by insurance providers. The premiums are always rising, while the payouts are diminishing. But then, insurance companies are in business to make money. This is the reason why the government has to constantly monitor how the business of its citizens’ health is handled. Health insurance is definitely important for a healthy nation and most people already know this. The problem is that insurance companies are always steps ahead in their determination to remain extremely profitable. This means that they are always on the look out for gaps in health insurance policies. As they market, health insurance companies claim that their premiums work well for families, individuals, groups and seniors. However, there is a high risk criteria added to some medical claim brackets.

By understanding health insurance policies, a prospective plan holder is in a better position to buy into the best suited plan. Taking time to read the fine print is worthwhile. This can help save on premiums and still allow access to benefits. Health insurance is the easiest way to cover the cost of medical care, including check-ups. This is especially important with the dynamic nature of our modern lifestyles. With today’s health risks, the need for health insurance should be a priority for everyone.

Find the Right Health Insurance Policy

It is very hard to identify the best health insurance products. But a few considerations can help you pick a good plan from a reliable health insurance provider. Think and ask questions along the following lines:

What are the guarantees and what additional information is left out of the policies?

Which areas of your health am I most concerned about?

How much can I afford in payments?

What percentage of your medical expenses will the policy cover?

The concern of the government in tightening its supportive role in guiding the operations of health insurance providers is welcome. It is critical that people get what they are entitled to under their insurance policies. Individuals are faced with paying high premiums only to find that it is impossible to get adequate reimbursement of their medical bills. This happens as health insurance companies are trying to get around returning the 80% of premiums in the form of services that policy holders are entitled to.

It is up to premium holders to remain alert. Insurance companies trying to get away with paying less than the required 80% of medical care costs should be held accountable. Think about the cost and the coverage of your health insurance plan. If you feel that you are being short-changed, it is within your rights to appeal. Ask questions and demand a full explanation. If you are still unsatisfied, you can go beyond the health insurance company and file a complaint.

Contrary to popular belief, health insurance companies make huge profits off of their plan holders even in a regulated industry. It is not up to you to keep them in business. Let them get their act together and give you what you are entitled to.

Author: Albert is an editor for Key Insurance Quotes and runs a local blogger meetup group in Durham, NC.

Today’s Baby Boomer Sandwich Generation faces some unique situations. You watch your kids grow up and your parents grow older. If, like so many baby boomers, your parents have split, or one of them has died, what’s it like for you when Dad (or Mom) starts to date again?

Guest post author Deborah S. Silver, LCSW, Co-Founder, Active Seniors in Transition shares some insights into this all too common issue.

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“When Dad Starts To Date”

A friend told the following story:

“When my father become a widower, after 50 years of devoted marriage to my mother, we all worried about him.  He was devastated by the loss, hadn’t ever been on his own since he was 21 and couldn’t even boil water.

“Well, weren’t we surprised when, within a short period of time, women were crawling out of the woodwork. At one point he was juggling three girlfriends!  Within a year he was married.  I didn’t like her very much.  I winced when he called her ‘honey’ and I resented the time and money he spent on her and her grown children.

“But when he became ill, she nursed him with tender care and she was truly grieved when he died.  I finally had to admit that I didn’t know what I would have done without her.”

I have heard variations on this theme over and over.  Why do many of us so resent it when our widowed parent finds happiness with someone new?

We feel disloyal to the parent that is gone when we accept the new union and give it our blessing

We are jealous of the new person that is receiving our living parent’s time, affection and financial gifts

We are uncomfortable thinking about our parent as – dare I say it – a sexual being. We’ve managed to avoid thinking about this for a very long time!

We are justifiably worried that the new partner is less than sincere and will hurt our parent both emotionally and financially

It didn’t take my friend long to realize that her resentment was a small price to pay for her father’s happiness (and he had five really wonderful years).

Not to mention that she was not prepared to give up her own life to take care of him and become a substitute spouse.

Of course, if you feel that someone is really out to hurt your parent, you may have to step in. But ask yourself the hard questions first.  “Is this really about them – or is it about me?”

To read other articles by Deborah Silver, visit her at www.activeseniorsintransition.com

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight and staying fit and healthy.

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Q- I’ve noticed that my balance seems to be getting worse and worse as I get older. Is there anything I can do to help my balance?

You may not have this problem yet, but you may have a parent or neighbor beginning to lose their sense of balance. A  fall for seniors can be much more dangerous and life changing than for younger people, as it can result in an extended stay in the hospital, rehab center or even nursing home.  One serious fall is often the beginning of a downward spiral of illness and infirmity for the elderly.

Seniors are much more prone to falls because, as we age, our body’s natural ability to balance and navigate unstable surfaces diminishes. This is related to both neurological and musculoskeletal aging, but balance is also affected by diminished vision, hearing and sensation in the feet.  In addition, bones are more fragile and healing from injuries becomes more and more difficult.  When most of us think of fitness, we may not think of balance as something we can train, but rest assured, it is very trainable.  With consistency and dedication, you could improve your balance and stability within several weeks!

It is easy to begin improving  balance. Take a few minutes every day to practice standing on one leg. If you can only balance for 5-10 seconds- continue to practice until you reach 20 seconds, or even 30 seconds. Once you can stand on one leg for 20 seconds or more, try doing this with your eyes closed. This is quite a challenge! At all times, begin by balancing as you hold on to a secure surface. As you improve your balance, work towards balancing without holding on at all. When practicing balancing, always keep your upper body lifted, spine erect, abdominals engaged. Looking down at the ground as you balance will throw your posture off, and good posture is key for good balance.

For the next stage, I recommend practicing standing balance on unstable surfaces such as an “Airex pad”, or inflatable disc, but using a pillow from your home will work just as well. These techniques will “fire up” your neuromuscular system, and begin to get your muscles thinking and reacting more easily to unstable surfaces- whether they are a pillow, or the ice in your driveway. Supplement this balance work with  core training such as Bridges for your glutes, “Birddog” for your spinal muscles and plank holds for your abdominal and back muscles. I also recommend training the lateral hip muscles- which are important stabilizers for the hip joint. Something as simple as standing side leg lifts can work, as well as the “clamshell” exercise- a side lying exercise, sometimes using an exercise band, in which you rotate the hip open like a “clamshell”.  In general, weight bearing strength exercises greatly help seniors, as these types of exercises increase bone density, muscular, tendonous and ligament strength, and build confidence!

Poor balance is a major risk factor for falls, fractures and serious injuries. Start training your balance today, and your risk of falls and injuries will be much less! If this is not an essential reason to exercise, I don’t know what is!

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight and staying fit and healthy.

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Q- How do I know whether I am fit enough? Are there standards for fitness that I should try to adhere to?

When we us the term “fit” we  are talking in very general terms about someone who looks strong and healthy and exercises consistently. But the definition of good fitness really has several components. They are: cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition (fat versus muscle tissue). To be truly “fit”, we do need to address all aspects of fitness. For example, if you can run 10 miles, but can’t do 10 push-ups- then you are not truly fit.  Or, conversely, if you can do 400 pound leg press, but can’t run a mile, then again, your fitness is not complete. So, it is very important to make sure your exercise regimen addresses all aspects of fitness.

As a strength and conditioning coach, I test my clients in all aspects of fitness to discover where their fitness is adequate, and where it is not. Addressing weaknesses in fitness is very important! Most people focus only on what they are good at, and ignore what they are not good at (or do not like to do). This will lead to imbalances in fitness, which will eventually lead to injuries.

For the average exercise enthusiast (not an athlete) some basic standards I use for good fitness are:

• The ability to do at least 10 straight leg push ups
• The ability to touch your toes when standing or sitting on the floor
• The ability to get your heart rate high in its training zone for short periods of time and then recover within one minute
• The ability to run longer distances, 1-2 miles, without stopping
• The ability to perform a deep squat with perfect technique
• The ability to balance on one foot for greater than 20 seconds
• The ability to perform a prone plank hold for one minute
• Normal body fat measurements- neither too high, nor too low

Of course, genetically we may be predisposed to being good at one aspect of fitness versus another, so it is normal to excel at some aspects of fitness and struggle with others. But- that’s no reason to ignore the ones we are not good at! Make sure your program addresses all aspects of fitness by stretching daily,  performing  heavy weight training 2-3 days a week, doing cardiovascular endurance activities such as biking, jogging, walking 3 days a week- including some high intensity interval training – and eating well and keeping bodyweight and body fat in normal parameters.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

The Boomer Generation is faced with hundreds of options when it comes to meeting that right relationship. Online dating is one road to romance you may want to try. But don’t wade in those waters unprepared. In the next five posts we offer some essential tips for the Boomer looking for an on-line relationship. - P. Mullaly, Editor

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Over 50s Online Dating Advice

By David Banzius-Bell

There is a lot of material available on the internet about dating advice and an over 50s dating guide would probably be very similar to a dating guide for any age group. The world wide web (www) does bring in a few new elements to dating which make things much easier and more interesting but do require some thought.

The most important thing to get right first is to create an honest profile for yourself. This may seem obvious but it is worth giving this some consideration or even getting a friend to help you. To create the best profile for you its important that you get to know yourself. This may sound basic but it is important to ask yourself some searching questions, find out what you really like and don’t like, think about what has worked for you in past relationships and what has not, what do you find attractive, what personality types you bond with etc. This can sometime be a little emotional but it’s important to be honest with yourself. A friend can also help with an external viewpoint on some of these questions.

Once you know yourself it is important to be honest and open when creating your profile on a senior dating site, being clear about your fundamental reasons for being a member, the sort of friendship, relationship you are looking for, the type of partner you are interested. Continue Reading »

The Boomer Generation is faced with hundreds of options when it comes to meeting that right relationship. Online dating is one road to romance you may want to try. But don’t wade in those waters unprepared. This is the second in a series of five posts: we offer some essential tips for the Boomer looking for an on-line relationship. - P. Mullaly, Editor

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Online Profile Tip For Boomer Women – Portray Yourself As a Desirable Woman

By Ronnie Ann Ryan

Are you a busy professional? Do you have a demanding, important job that occupies most of your time and energy? You may really enjoy and have true passion for your work. But let me ask you this question: If a man wrote that he’s a busy professional with a demanding job that takes up most of his time – would you be interested? Or would you wonder if he’d even have time to date you?

Your online dating profile is ADVERTISING. Yes, I believe in truth in advertising. But do you need to slap men in the face with your truth? Uh, not if you want to attract one.

One of the foundational principles of advertising is called POSITIONING. This is the process marketers use to create an image or identity. That’s what you are doing with your profile – creating your identity as a desirable woman. The question becomes: Is busy professional with little time the best image to portray? Perhaps you have other qualities that could actually make you seem like a fun/interesting person to spend time with and get to know…

Even though you are busy, no man wants to hear that. Continue Reading »

The Boomer Generation is faced with hundreds of options when it comes to meeting that right relationship. Online dating is one road to romance you may want to try. But don’t wade in those waters unprepared. This is the third in a series of five posts: we offer some essential tips for the Boomer looking for an on-line relationship. - P. Mullaly, Editor

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Single Dating For Boomers – I Am Hot 50 And Single

By Patsy Copus

She came home from work one day to find that her husband had come home, packed all of his belongings and left her a Dear Jane letter. It read “Sorry, I could not live a double life anymore.  I have wanted to tell you for a long time, so here it goes I am GAY”  Those words hit her like a ton of bricks.  She has children, one in College the other in University, how was she going to tell them that their father was Gay.  Then after this realization, she started to think about how many partners her husband had and if he had practiced safe sex.  Well this story was three years ago, a long emotional road.  But now she is ready to take on the world and find a new partner.  Her friends at work told her to start looking for online dating services that catered for older women.  So you signed up for several online dating services and felt so intimidated as you found it so hard to think of something good to write about herself. She did not want to come off as a bitter and twisted woman, she did not want to bore men and say that she loved to knit or sit around and watch t.v.  Continue Reading »

The Boomer Generation is faced with hundreds of options when it comes to meeting that right relationship. Online dating is one road to romance you may want to try. But don’t wade in those waters unprepared. This is the fourth in a series of five posts: we offer some essential tips for the Boomer looking for an on-line relationship. - P. Mullaly, Editor

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Online Dating Method to Meet Women – 4 Tips to Get an Endless Stream of Dates With Women

By Peter Lim

It is not necessary to know why you are often alone, without the company of a woman you love. Meeting women online and offline goes beyond the difficulties of appearance, income and age. If you follow just these 4 tips I’ll share with you, I’ll promise you that you will find lots of dates, irregardless of how you look- whether you are too short, too stubby, too fat…or too old.

Tip 1: Introduce Yourself To The World

It’s all a numbers game. The more you are introduced to others, the more chances are that you will meet someone or someone will get to know you. So the first step is to go and join a Dating Search group. Create an interesting profile by telling other members and tell a little about yourself and what you’re looking for in a partner and relationship. Continue Reading »

The Boomer Generation is faced with hundreds of options when it comes to meeting that right relationship. Online dating is one road to romance you may want to try. But don’t wade in those waters unprepared. This is the fifth in a series of five posts: we offer some essential tips for the Boomer looking for an on-line relationship. - P. Mullaly, Editor

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Online Dating For Baby Boomers – Tips For Successful Results

By Aelicia Anderson

The landscape of the dating world has changed a lot since the time many of us first started dating. While some things are being done differently today, they don’t have to be scary. This article will share tips to make your online dating experience fun, exciting and most of all, successful.

A dating service is not a new idea; they’ve been around for several decades. What’s different about today’s dating service is the vehicle they use to connect people to one another.

There was a time when online dating was not looked on as favorably as it is today. In its infancy, online dating was sometimes seen as the only way less desirable people could get a date. That’s no longer the case. Online dating is growing rapidly, and is used by people of every age. It crosses all the lines of race, religion, political affiliation and net worth.

Even though you start out in the comfort and safety of your own home, typically the goal of online dating is to find someone you want to meet in the real world. Caution and safety are primary considerations throughout any dating process, but are particularly important where online dating is concerned.

When you begin looking for an online dating service you’ll want to look for sites that offer several screening filters to validate identification. This helps determine if the person signing up is really who they say they are.

Browse through several online dating sites before settling on one. If you do a search on Google for online dating sites, there are over 3 million. Don’t let that overwhelm you. Just pick a few and spend a few minutes on each one. You can also find review sites that may be helpful in assisting you with your decision. You may want to consider signing up with more than one site.

Be honest when creating your profile. Remember that you’re looking for someone to start a relationship with and you certainly don’t want to base it on lies and deception.  For best results, you’ll have to include a picture; uploading several would be even better. Make sure it’s a recent one, not one from years ago.

Make sure your personality shines through in your correspondence. It’s a little tougher to do online since you don’t see facial expressions and hear intonations, but with a little practice and the help of some emoticons and online shorthand, you’ll become much better at it very quickly. Of course, if you have a web cam, so much the better.

Don’t let your profile paint a boring picture. List your passions, your hobbies, your taste in food, movies, music, authors or artists. You want people to understand who you are and what you’re looking for.

You should never be uncomfortable with your dating experience. If a conversation becomes awkward or offensive, get out of it. Most sites will allow you to block members if you choose to. Don’t hesitate to use that feature to eliminate unwanted correspondence or contact from a particular member.

There’s no need to be upset or feel offended if someone you’re interested in doesn’t respond. There are way too many people to choose from to let a few no-responses discourage you. Think of them as first dates that didn’t work out and move on.

Online dating doesn’t have to end in a romantic encounter. Many people just want to keep things casual and remain friends. An online dating service can provide them the opportunity to meet people they would otherwise never have met.

Whatever your goal is in the relationship department, online dating can help you achieve it. Be safe and sensible, but most of all, have fun!

Graduating from Sydney University in 1997, Aelicia Anderson works as a consultant for the Australian adult dating site Fling Finder She enjoys writing, painting and adult personals research.

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I don’t know about you, but the economic mess in which we find ourselves today troubles me. When times are tough where do you turn for comfort? Author Christine Phoenix-Green offers some thoughts.

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Acts of Devotion

It is not unusual in times of upheaval and stress, that people are often forced, in their sense of instability and fear, to turn towards a sense of Mystery or Spirituality for answers and comfort in the face of the shock of the unknown. For some, it could mean going to church for community, prayer and petition, for others  visiting  a psychic for a reading, an astrologer for an update, or a  therapy group for peer support. (Some people go shopping, but that is another category entirely.)

These are all practices that may help us to make sense of, or give us perspective on, interpreting the  experiences and signs of the times that rather unpleasantly surprise and jar us almost on a daily basis, especially at this insistent moment of social and cultural upheaval. Yet, there is another practice that can emerge from the heart, from the Soul, that grounds us in the Eternal, and connects us to the sacred , mysterious,  and eternal rhythms of time and place. It is a smaller, and more intimately personal practice, and very very quiet or private. In each life and in each day, there can be a practice or stopping point to acknowledge the moment, the Now, and the Presence of Life, Beauty and Sanity through personal “Acts of Devotion.” Continue Reading »

What is money? Is it the exchange of energy between two parties? Is money the root of all evil as many in this economic downturn will claim? Is money a gift or a burden from the “gods” deserved or not?

Let’s establish one thing right up front: money is NOT your life’s blood. It may feel like that sometimes, but it is not. Your money is not your worth. YOU, no matter whether you are rich or poor, beggarman or thief, you, yourself are NOT your money. You are far more valuable than this thing we call money. If everything were taken away from you and you were standing alone on a desert island without roof or food or companion, you would still be valuable, just because you are—because you exist. So before we begin any discussion about money understand this is the starting point. Your value as a person has NOTHING to do with the value of your bank account. Get your head around that concept before you read on. Continue Reading »

All things are relative. When it comes to money, this is especially true.

As a kid, that $10.00 allowance each week feels really great in your pocket. The sky’s the limit. You can save and buy anything you want. As a teenager, getting a job to buy and maintain a car, date your best girl and save something for college becomes the measure against which a job’s salary is  calculated.

Once you join the world’s workforce, your salary and the benefit package, savings plan, all come into focus. Being single, only responsible for yourself, you might be feeling flush. You have enough… maybe— remember all things are relative.

When you throw in marriage, kids, new car, house, education, travel… “How much is enough” becomes a whole different issue. How much money do you really need, —do you want? How much money is enough? Continue Reading »

Everytime I turn on the TV most of what I hear is bad news. The talking heads, whether on the left or right of any issue are spreading negativity 90% of the time. I’m getting very tired of listening to it all.

This morning I went for a short walk with a couple of friends. I live near the ocean so the walk was one filled with beautiful scenes of nature, salt marshes, swans and two beautiful blue herons who took flight just as we walked past. The air was crisp, the sun warm and the breeze comfortable. A good day for a walk and to share good news with each other. We all agreed it was not easy to find in the media but there were a few gems we discovered and I share them with you.

ABC news has a segment on their website: Pay it Forward, for people with means to help those without. (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/PersonOfWeek/story?id=7077296&page=1)

There is actually a website devoted to Good News! Check this out.

And finally, a website entry that helps you figure out if you are a source of good news. Take the quiz!

Good news is never hard to find if you are really looking for it. More about good energy tomorrow!

I am a member of the oprah.com community. Great site. Within the last week Oprah offered members of her website community the opportunity to download Jean Chatzky’s latest book: The Difference:How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times free of charge! The free download offer was only for a 24 hour period, but I was lucky enough to get a copy.

What is The Difference? I have only begun to read the book, but the introduction and first chapters give an overview of the sum and substance to follow. She posits the question: why do some people seem to succeed in life, while others seem to fail, or best scenario, just get by? What is the difference between the Warren Buffets of this world and someone who lives paycheck to paycheck, or each year finds themselves deeper in debt?What have they got that you don’t have? What is the difference?

It’s more of a workbook than a fast read. In fact Jean encourages the reader to go slowly through each chapter, in the order in which they are presented, working through each of the exercises. Her point: each of us has what it takes to succeed. Life circumstances may cause us to adapt and change, but meet each circumstance as a challenge and opportunity. Optimism and thinking with positive energy seem to be a key to this winning philosophy.

As I said, I am only just beginning the book, but already am hooked. Will be commenting further in subsequent postings. In the meantime I encourage you to purchase the book and the companion workbook as well. It is available now online through Amazon.com.

Reflections by Christine Phoenix-Green

When you find yourself alone after partnership, there are many ways to  find  your way moving about as a Single. Some ways are easier or more difficult than others…and all take courage. This was my way…through Dance, and in a series of forms that fulfilled a particular need at each  phase of the transition.

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A number of years ago, upon entering mid-life, a series of life changing issues required decisions that demanded attention and  action. After the ending of a long partnership and a way of life “in tandem,” it was  necessary to enter an also seemingly long period of personal healing and the crafting of social behaviour comfortably as a solo woman in a world of couples.

Some women at that time feel so lonely and befuddled, that they are hungry to find a relationship as soon as possible, and at any cost, to not feel isolated and “odd” while surrounded by couples. Others, perhaps those of us who initiated our leap to single-status, desire a conscious time to experience the taste of freedom and  listen deeply, without distraction and compromise, to where our Soul and individual unique story may be leading us.

Yet  feeling alone during times of transition is a human experience we all know, whether “together” or “single,” and feeling isolated is probably one of the most devastating heartaches we might be asked to bear in a variety of circumstances.  Continue Reading »

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I recently went to my dermatologist for my yearly skin screening. She pokes and prods and scans every inch (I mean every inch) of my body looking for problems. Luckily nothing was found. But there are warning signs. Patches of brown just beneath the surface—what we call “age” spots, just ready to burst forth! With Irish heritage my skin is naturally fair, but like so many others I think a little “tan” makes me look more attractive, more healthy. In spite of all the warnings to the contrary I am a sun worshipper. Each spring and summer I spend hours lounging by the pool or walking the golf course, soaking in the rays.

I can’t not be in the sun. And the damage already done to my skin is —done. I can use age-defying creams and try to lighten the spots, but the damage is there. What I can do is prevent any further damage. (Oprah Winfrey recently had a number of guests on her show for skin evaluations. The results were shocking. Visit the oprah.com website for more comprehensive information.)  I’ve sampled and studied many of the products on the market today. Many promise to screen or block the sun’s damaging rays. Very few actually do the job. Continue Reading »

When her 15 year old son celebrated his birthday, Laura of RARAwithLaura.com had a major diet crisis! Has this ever happened to you?

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“My son’s 15th birthday was yesterday.  He is at school, the hubby is  at work and I am working from home.  At 10:22 a.m today I started   eating birthday cake.  I forgot that it was there and when I opened   the refrigerator it spoke to me saying things like ” you know you   need me, want me and nobody is here except you”.  “Just have a   sliver and by the way leave the knife in here with me in case you   want to sliver all day”. I am thinking about putting the cake out   on the deck hence I bet that is how the song “McAurthur’s Park” [sic] came about!   Someone left my cake out in the rain!!!!  The best   thing that could happen for my hips right about now is that my cake   is left out in the rain and I can no longer consume it!  I want to   throw it out but my son will come home from school and ask where is   my cake?

I am going to go to the prayer chair and pray for guidance and self control!  Yes, you heard me right I am now praying about not eating all that cake!”

~ RA! RA! LAURA www.rarawithlaura.com

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A note from the editor: Dieting can be a terrible bore. Even “Skinny Cow” deserts don’t cut it with me anymore. Best advice – enjoy the cake when you have it, just keep that single slice to a SINGLE slice. It’s all about portion control. So let go of the guilts and enjoy your dessert! ~ P. Mullaly

Creativity, Comfort, Compassion, Community for the Boomer Generation

A note from author, Christine Phoenix-Green:
“Sensuous Soups  on a Shoestring” showcases four soups—each for a different purpose. I am here on a mission and with a vision! I love soups!  I love working with food and especially the gifts of the earth and the energy of the seasons. For me, making soups is a very creative and centering activity when my life gets hectic, confused, and I need to come home to myself and my kitchen. But the older I get, the more I have realized that for me, the cooking of soup is a spiritual practice of Compassion, Comfort and Community. Recently I shared this passion for soup making at one of my workshops. Here and in the next few articles, I share some thoughts on this Sensuous Experience.

How many times I have been sick and a friend has come in with a pot of soup when I could not take care of myself and I gratefully received this blessing gift to nourish me and facilitate my healing. I have found that every time I make a big pot of wonderful soup, almost ALWAYS there is someone else in my life who is in need of support, comfort and compassion and it is such a blessing to be able to “pay it forward” by sharing some of what I have created when they are in need.

A soup is nourishing, easily digested, and takes no effort to warm up once it has been cooked. Continue Reading »

This post is part 2 of “Sensuous Soups on a Shoestring” by contributing author: Christine Phoenix Green. Click here to read Part 1.

To create a Sensuous Soup, there has to be an Intentionality to deliberately create something DELICIOUS  FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. When I cook a soup, I always have an Intentionality before I start. In other words, what is my intention or purpose here?

Sometimes it is to celebrate the gifts of the Earth by eating seasonally. It must be sensuous and enhance the particular flavour of one or more of the season’s signature ingredients. In other words, this might mean delightful trips to your local farmer’s market if you don’t have your own garden, to gather, honor, celebrate and cook your way through the wheel of the year, each period with it’s own energy and spirit. In this way, we are in tune with Nature’s rhythms, which physically, psychologically and spiritually of which we are a part.

Sometimes it is for what I call a magical or spiritual purpose, using  certain vegetables or ingredients for energetic purposes when a person is unbalanced. Continue Reading »

Had the chance to dine out a couple of times during my recent trip to Fort Myers. Two meals, two very different experiences. This post focuses on where NOT TO EAT in Fort Myers.

Parrot Key – Never Again!!!

Our visit to the Parrot Key Caribbean Grill was a dining disaster for me. It is known as a great fun time watering hole. Located on the docks, it’s set up to imitate a bar in the tropics. Open air with tables scattered about, waiters in Hawaiian style shirts rush about serving drinks and dinners. By the time we arrived, happy hour which ends at 6 pm was just over. No double drinks. But that was ok, we should have checked ahead of time. They don’t take reservations but we were lucky and got a table not far from the small stage. Entertainment was scheduled for 7 pm.

We ordered Tommy’s Cosmo Martinis and one Havana Mojito. Both good selections. But after the drinks, my dining experience went straight downhill. The Tropical Safari Calamari were undercooked, soft and mushy. I ordered the Sizzlin’ Sandbar Scallops, grilled, served in a basket with Caribbean slaw and sweet potato fries. The scallops were barely cooked, much less sizzlin, the sweet potato fries were cold and overcooked. The slaw was great. I should have asked for a large bucket of slaw and have been done with it.

My friends, on the other hand, had good meals. The Stuffed Lobster special was fine, though not the sweetest my friend had ever had, and the Gorda Grouper my second guest ordered was “really good.”

Perhaps I just lucked out with the bottom of the food barrel that night. The wait staff were ok, the entertainment which came on late, was one guy with a boom box who entertained the little kids. Not what I expected.

Would I go back? I’m sure it’s a great drinking spot, and for a wild night out with the guys, it might be just fine. But for a quiet evening and great food? Look elsewhere. I give it 2 out of 5 stars! (The slaw was good, after all.)

Click here to check out one restaurant in Fort Myers I can recommend.

Had the chance to dine out a couple of times during my recent trip to Fort Myers. Two meals, two very different experiences. This post focuses on where TO EAT in Fort Myers. Click here to see where NOT TO EAT in Fort Myers.

Eating Down Under

This dining experience was at the Outback Steakhouse, at Belle Tower in Fort Myers. We called ahead and though they don’t take reservations, this gave us “one up” on others standing in line. We were seated immediately. As we sat down, the happy hour clock was just ticking past the deadline but our waitress, Adrienne let us slip under the wire and we happily ordered double drinks all ’round. Great.

The coconut shrimp was, as always, fabulous. I’ve tried them at other restaurants, but they are never as good as Outback’s. Some secret ingredient. We ordered steaks: The Outback Special Sirloin, and two Victoria Filet. (The 7 oz was more than enough!) One of my guests ordered his, medium rare. When he discovered it was even a little too rare for his taste they took it back for a little more heat-no worries. The salads and sides were fine. Their sweet potato is always a hit. I tried the Blue Cheese Pecan Salad but was disappointed. Too much cheese for my taste. But my friends had no trouble finishing it off.

There was no way we could add a desert to the meal, but we did buy a slice of classic New York cheese cake with raspberry sauce to enjoy later that evening. Very good. I give the Outback 4 out of 5 stars!!!

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I know the Outback is part of a nationwide franchise. But they are still a good bet for a great meal. Consistently they have served great food, great drinks in a great atmosphere. For casual dining, this restaurant is a safe bet.

Recently I was sitting at the pool, wasting time and listening to a broadcast on PRI (Public Radio International). The subject was Social Business Development. The speaker was 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yanus of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. The bank has its focus on the poor and small loan programs with significant impact. I was amazed at the statistics he was discussing. 98% of the loans his bank gives out are repaid in full. They set up a personal relationship with each of their borrowers. They assist and advise each of them and follow up with support as needed. Most of the borrowers are poor women, eager to start a small business that will help them and their families get out of the grip of poverty.

Recently the bank began a program for beggars. They determined that as long as beggars were going house to house trying to get food, they might also carry along a small item for sale i.e. a toy for a child, or a small household item that might be useful. Continue Reading »

I just viewed the YouTube video of Susan Boyle, (use the link to the video at the end of this post), a nearly 48 year old woman from Scotland who recently auditioned on the Britain’s Got Talent TV Show (the inspiration for the U.S. hit show American Idol.) To look at her you would think Susan Boyle was just a common middle aged woman with crazy hair, heavy eyebrows and no fashion sense. She was wearing what can only be described as a “mother of the bride nightmare dress.”

The audience and the three judges were clearly skeptical. There were a lot of raised eyebrows, rolling of the eyes and tittering in the crowd when she was first introduced. No one expected anything much from this simple midlifer who lives with her cat Pebbles in a small town. “I’ve never been married, never been kissed,” she admitted to the crew back stage. “But I’m going to make that audience rock.” And she did.

From the moment she opened her mouth and began the first notes of “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables the audience was ga ga! She has a fabulous voice and the judges knew they were witnessing something extraordinary. Unemployed before the audition, Susan Boyle is now in demand by media everywhere. She is even scheduled to be on the Oprah show!

What makes this all very miraculous is that even at the boomer age of 47-48, Susan Boyle had a dream she was willing to go for! Life has handed her some tough stuff, but she believed in what she wanted to be: a professional singer, and though it took her years to finally get her chance, she clearly believes in her talent and is making this dream come true!

Midlifers everywhere should take heart from this remarkable woman. Believe in your dreams, work to achieve them, give your self permission to succeed, grab life and GO FOR IT!

Click here to view the HD YouTube video of Susan Boyle’s audition.

My last post focused on the surprising miracle of Susan Boyle, from Britain’s Got Talent! (Click here to read.) The world is amazed at how much talent this woman has and how such a voice could remain hidden in a little village in Scotland. Surely, she should have been “discovered” years ago.

Well, let me assure you, that there is miraculous talent everywhere! It just needs a little help to get heard. Check out this audio clip I just received from one of my readers. The producers wandered the globe recording this famous song, Stand By Me, inviting local musicians to contribute their remarkable talents. It proves the point, that talent and enthusiasm for sharing it, really is without borders.

No matter who, or where we are, we are joined by the music, the song, the rhythm and the energy! Check out Playing for Change, a multi-media movement created to inspire, connect and bring peace to the world through music. I’m inspired!

Last weekend I was traveling with friends through the great state of Maine: Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, that area. Enjoyed the sea air, quiet harbor (in April the tourist crowd is still not in full force) and the ocean. Even played a little golf at the par 3 at Merryland Farms, a great place to practice your short game!

By mid-afternoon we were hungry. We could have gone to one of the usual spots the tourists invade – but there is a great restaurant on Route 1 in Wells that the locals call “home.” The Maine Diner has been serving fabulous meals for 25 years. You don’t survive that long among the locals without a great reputation for delicious food and great service! Simple and unpretentious, with a counter and tables packed into two rooms, the place is famous for its prize winning chowder, generous portions and home made desserts. They have a limited wine and beer list, children’s menu and serve breakfast anytime! Prices are mid-range.

Usually the place is packed. (The tourists have, in fact, found the place and passed the word around.) We were fortunate. Although it was nearly 3 in the afternoon we were lucky to find one empty table in the main room. Continue Reading »

Boomers: How many times have you surprised yourself with something you thought you didn’t know, but you did! In midlife we sometimes begin to worry about loss of memory. How many times have you gone into a room, only to not remember why you went in there in the first place? Or where are those keys you keep losing?

Just as surprising however are all the things you do remember. It could be the name of a state capital you suddenly remembered when you and your friends were looking at travel magazines, planning your next trip to Yellowstone National Park. Who knew that Cheyenne is the Capital of Wyoming? Somewhere in the deep recesses of your brain that small factoid came out just when you needed it.

You have lots of surprises inside! Lots of wisdom. And the older you get, the more wisdom you find within. Every midlifer has stories to tell. I remember playing Trivial Pursuit with my aunt. I was in my thirties, she in her late seventies. Everyone else was in their twenties and absolutely certain they knew more than any two of us combined. We paired up and I chose my aunt as partner. Good thing to. When it came to movie stars, broadway musicals, sports teams of the mid 1900’s she was an encyclopedia! We beat the other teams, hands down. Of course if the game had been anything other than the first edition which was published back in the early 1980’s we would have been stumped.

Never underestimate how much you know, Boomers. Every day you add to your library of wisdom and knowledge. Sometimes it takes a little while to dig down and find the fact you are looking for. But that’s because there’s so much there to dig through!

The sad truth is that as we midlifers get older that little bulge of belly fat gets bigger and more stubborn with every passing year. In your twenties you could dismiss it… a passing thing, you think. With a little more exercise it’ll be gone in a day or two. But now you’re in your forties, fifties, maybe just into your sixties? The Boomer generation stretches across all three… and that “little” bulge is now a BIG bulge. When was the last time you got into those skinny jeans?

I hate exercise. I really do. I’ve got all the equipment, the clothes, the shoes, the music gizmo to keep me entertained… but I still hate exercise and find every excuse to not go to the gym. But here’s a great idea I think will satisfy. Dance it off!

Get yourself to a local class, ballroom, night club or even your living room and dance your self silly. If you don’t have a partner, go on your own. When the room is full of jiving bodies, who knows who you’re dancing with anyway? If you are staying home to dance, just juice up the music and move!!!! Do this at least once or twice a week. Drink lots of water— no alcohol, unfortunately… that just puts the pounds right back on. And enjoy! You’d be surprised how music can shake it up and sweat it off. If you really want to have fun, dress up for the occasion, wear a funny hat, pretend your “Dancing with the Stars” – don’t take yourself too seriously and just have a good time. That belly baby will move and groove to the tunes and melt away. Honest.

Remember the wild times you had back in those early boomer days? Even though you are now a true midlifer, I bet you still listen to those fabulous hit tunes from the 60’s and 70’s. Of course, it would make more sense for you if the lyrics were changed to make them a little more relevant to your current life style.:-)

Just got this listing of NEW LYRICS from a Boomer friend and couldn’t resist posting it.

Some of the artists of the 60’s are revising their hits with new lyrics to accommodate aging baby boomers. They include:

• Bobby Darin — Splish, Splash, I Was Havin’ a Flash.
• Herman’s Hermits — Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Walker.
• Ringo Starr — I Get By With a Little Help From Depends.
• The Bee Gees — – How Can You Mend a Broken Hip.
• Roberta Flack— The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face.
• Johnny Nash — I Can’t See Clearly Now.
• The Commodores — Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom.
• Marvin Gaye — Heard It Through the Grape Nuts.
• Procol Harem— A Whiter Shade of Hair.
• Leo Sayer — You Make Me Feel Like Napping.
• The Temptations — Papa’s Got a Kidney Stone.
• Abba— Denture Queen.
• Tony Orlando — Knock 3 Times On The Ceiling If You Hear Me Fall.
• Helen Reddy — I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore.
• Leslie Gore— It’s My Procedure, and I’ll Cry if I want To.

And Last but NOT least….

• Willie Nelson — On the Commode Again

Hey, you’ve got to have a sense of humor, people! Enjoy.

Every woman in their 40’s wants to be more beautiful. It’s in the genes. Sudden singing sensation, Susan Boyle, is no exception. After taking the world by storm with her Britain’s Got Talent performance of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables, the media swarmed in, surrounding her home in the village of Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. They asked questions, speculated about her love-life or lack thereof (she was sorry she ever mentioned having never been kissed) and captured her every move on camera and video.

Though her voice is spectacular, we can all agree that her fashion sense is very simple, perhaps a bit dowdy. Now that the nation and the world are watching her every move, it’s only natural she wants to put on her best face. Fashionistas have been calling her with advice, and designers begging that she wear their designs at her next audition. (I made that up, but if I were a designer of a 40ish woman’s clothes line, I would definitely be in there begging!)

We just heard via the web that she had her hair colored and cut, and her eyebrows trimmed. Good for her. And all done by the local village hairdresser for about $50. (A lot less than what those celeb hairstylists in London would have charged.)

So what’s the problem? If you were going to be on worldwide exposition wouldn’t you want to take your style up a notch? I certainly would. And I don’t think it will change her simple, straight talking style one whit. She’s no kid and at nearly 48 years of age she seems to have a very sensible head on her broad shoulders. She may never again live the simple life of her past, but I think her talent will bring her only good fortune and if she wants to trim her eyebrows, cut and color her hair, then good for her. I even like the new black leather jacket!

The Acai Berry is one of the hottest weight loss products on the internet right now. If you Google “weight loss” you are sure to get hit with one of the many online ads promising amazing weight loss for midlifers, within just a few short weeks.

Well, like many baby boomers, I’m overweight and have been struggling with diets for years. We all have high hopes for a magic miracle cure, and I got suckered in like so many others. With a savvy web site that mentions both Oprah and Rachel Ray in the copy, it was easy to think that these credible superstars had endorsed the product on the site.

I signed up for a 14-day trial product called AcaiPure. For only $1.95 for shipping they would send me a supply. If I wasn’t fully satisfied I could cancel at any time. If I did nothing, they would continue to ship a monthly supply and charge my credit card $39.95. (I was one of the lucky ones. Some sites charge $4.95 for shipping and charge upwards of $89 for a months supply!)

In the meantime I began to hear all sorts of nasty rumors about this company, Central Coast Nutraceuticals out of Arizona. Our local TV news station has uncovered hundreds of stories of people who have tried to cancel the “membership” and recover their money. Continue Reading »

It sounds counter intuitive, but it’s true. To lose weight you have to eat  — a lot! Of course, it has to be the right foods that increase your metabolism: grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, and less of those high calorie snack foods we both love to nibble on in the late evening hours.

I’ve read a lot of books and listened to a lot of talk shows and after all is said and done, the one thing they all say that will guarantee weight loss is consumption — keep eating — and drinking a lot of water. Don’t let yourself feel hungry.

Think of your body as a furnace. It’s burning up fuel all day long, helping your muscles work, your brain stay sharp, and your attitude stay healthy. Give it the right fuel and you’ll have energy to do all the things you want to do. Give it the wrong kind of fuel filled with sugars and fats and you’ll clog the pipes, reduce the energy output and make yourself sick.

It’s all a question of balance. Find the rhythm of meals and snacks that works for you to keep your “furnace” stoked. And exercise too, to burn off the occasional whiskey sour or fried clams, or ice cream sundae.

Ok, I’m hungry. Gotta go.

The sad truth is when you’re a boomer you never know when something is going to go wrong with your body. With 40, 50, even 60 years of life behind you, things just happen. Aches and pains are just part of the midlife story. When pain does strike, or a headache lingers, when you just can’t figure out what’s wrong with you, do you ever check out health websites for the answers? If you do, which health websites do you find reliable?

Recently a friend of mine hurt his back reaching for a box of cereal on a top shelf. Somehow he had twisted the wrong way and within moments he was in absolute agony. We knew nothing was broken—it was just a bad sprain, but we were at a loss for how best to treat the pain. I immediately went to the Internet and did a quick search for back pain. There were more than 48 million entries!

We looked through some of the more credible sites based on well known names: Mayo Clinic, Boston Medical Center, and New England Baptist Hospital. They all had comprehensive sites with good advice but the one web site that had the easiest navigation and quickest answers for our particular need was WebMD.

It’s written in simple straightforward language so that even the lay person can follow along easily. True, it’s loaded with advertising, but still it offers answers quickly. For more in-depth answers, one of the other sites serves well. But for a quick answer to our immediate question, WebMD had the answers.

If you’ve found a great health website let us know. We really are interested.

Message to all you midlifers: Trying to do everything yourself? Sometimes it is smarter to call for help. Here are the two key elements in making that determination.

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I just paid $140.00 to a local small engine repair company to repair my broken lawnmower. It had serious problems that I could not even begin to fathom. Mechanical things like engines, radios, clocks, vacuum cleaners, thermostats: how they work and how to repair them is beyond me. And I don’t care.

If I tried to repair the lawnmower it would have meant hours reading the manual, multiple trips to the local hardware store, broken fingernails, bruised knuckles and a lawnmower that still didn’t cut grass. I know my limits and recognize that although $140. sounds like a lot, it is small change when it comes to the time and frustration I would spend trying to fix the machine myself.

Knowing your limitations and how valuable is your time, are the two key elements in determining when it is time to call in an expert. It doesn’t matter if the issue is fixing a broken vacuum cleaner, managing your household, feeding your family, or developing a new website for your business.

You may think you can’t afford the assistance but the cost of not asking for help could be more than just money. Trying to fix and manage everything takes time: time you could be spending doing something else that you are really good at – that will increase your income. Continue Reading »

This article is by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

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In every bloggers life comes a special day – the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else’s blog chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader – you. Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that’s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers.

These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling. Continue Reading »

Reporter vs Expert – Why Most Bloggers Are Stuck Reporting

This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

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There are basically two types of bloggers in the world – reporters and experts – and some people perform both roles (usually the experts, it’s hard for reporters to become experts, but it’s easy for experts to report).

If you have ever taken an Internet marketing course or attended a seminar specifically for beginners, you have probably heard about the two different methodologies. Whenever the business model is based on content, and if you blog for money then the model is based on content, people are taught to either start as reporters, or if possible step up as experts.

I’ll be frank; you want to be the expert.

Reporters leverage the content of the experts and in most cases people start off as reporters because they haven’t established expertise. Experts enjoy the perks of preeminence, higher conversion rates because of perceived value, it’s easier to get publicity, people are more likely to seek you out rather than you having to seek others out, joint ventures come easier, etc? experts in most cases simply make more money and attract more attention.

Most Bloggers Are Reporters

The thing with expertise is that it requires something – experience. No person becomes an expert without doing things and learning. Bloggers usually start out without expertise and as a result begin their blogging journey by talking about everything going on in their niche (reporting) and by interviewing and talking about other experts (reporting again).

There’s nothing wrong with reporting of course and for many people it’s a necessity at first until you build up some expertise. Continue Reading »

Bethenny Frankel, star of The Real Housewives of New York City, celebrity natural food chef, and best-selling author of Naturally Thin, focuses on making healthy food taste great.

How many in midlife have struggled with diets that just don’t work? I still have a suit I bought when I was in my mid twenties. It hangs in my closet as a testimony to the size I once was, and the size I someday hope to be. But no matter the diet I have tried, nothing gets me any closer to my goal. I love all the wrong kinds of foods, and I enjoy a drink in the evening. Impossible obstacles to losing weight.

Bethenny Frankel has an alternative plan. There is a way to eat healthy without having to get deep into the calorie count, the weighing, the points, the cardboard meals that some food plans sell you at inflated prices. Our culture is so overwhelmed with bad food choices it’s hard to see the healthy alternatives without guidance. That’s what this book is all about. It teaches you how to make the right healthy choices and alternatives to unhealthy processed foods.

Recipes include  wonderfully tasteful vegetable dishes, grilled beef tenderloin, classic bolognese lasagna and the infamous Skinnygirl Margarita! <- watch Bethenny’s video!

The book is number 3 on the New York Times Bestseller List! She must be doing something right. Check it out!

Star Trek Returns!!!

- (the prequel) is now in a theatre near you! Read the full synopsis and watch the trailers here.

Back in 1966 when today’s midlife crowd: the baby boomer generation, were still in grammar school, Star Trek, the TV show took off across America’s TV screens. With Captain Kirk (William Shatner) at the helm and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) as his trusted officer, the star ship Enterprise began its five year mission “to boldly go where no man has gone before!” My sister was addicted. She thought Spock was cool and I’m sure she secretly lusted after those pointy ears. Unfortunately the original series only lasted three years, cancelled due to poor ratings. But the science-fiction crowd loved the show and the fans continued to be loyal followers of the re-runs when they could get them.

An animated version ran for two seasons in 1973 and 1974 and a full length motion picture was produced by Paramount in 1978: Star Trek: The Motion Picture, receiving mixed reviews. Finally TV execs realized that the fan base was never going to go away. In the intervening years three Star Trek movies: The Wrath of Khan, Search for Spock, and The Voyage Home, in addition to the original TV show reruns and innumerable conventions of “Trekkies,” had kept the fans coming back for more. In 1987 Patrick Steward took command as Jean-Luc Picard of the new star ship Enterprise-D in Star-Trek: The Next Generation. The show was a great success and three spin-offs (Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise) were developed to fill the airwaves with the ongoing adventures of Starfleet officers and crew. In the meantime seven additional full length feature films were produced for a total of ten movies.

This month the latest new full length motion picture Star Trek hits the theatres. And its going gang-busters. A prequel to the original TV series, it traces the early days of James T. Kirk long before he became a Starfleet Officer. Read the full synopsis and watch the trailers here.

Receiving 9 out of 10 stars, it’s getting full thumbs up from viewers and critics alike. Boomers Rejoice! The past is present. Spock lives! The star ship of our youth still flies in the face of disaster, danger and doom.

Get yourself to your local theatre. It’s one great film you don’t want to miss.

Three questions to consider before making that decision.

In the United States today, the options for paying for health care are numerous. For some, their workplace pays all the bills. (That’s a company I want to work for!) For most workers, health insurance costs are split between employer and employee. And for those who work on their own, or don’t have an employer, they foot the health bills themselves. If a person can’t afford health care, or chooses not to buy it, they use hospital emergency rooms as their first line of defense. (Note: the exception is the state of Massachusetts, where every citizen must have health insurance or pay a hefty penalty come tax time.)

Health insurance is fine for ordinary expenses. But what do you do if you or a member of your family has a debilitating illness that demands long-term care? For how long does ordinary health insurance pay your medical bills? Is it smart to buy a long-term health policy now when you and your family are healthy, just in case?

Here are three questions to ask before making a decision.
1. Does your family medical history suggest that you may be genetically disposed to developing a chronic illness such as diabetes or Alzheimers?
Sadly, there are indications that certain medical conditions are genetic or likely to be so. Alzheimers in particular, is still a mystery, but as our population ages, more of our citizens are being diagnosed with this affliction. Research suggests that some strains are genetic.
2. Do you have personal assets other than your primary home that need protection in the event your medical insurance is fully depleted?
Long-term care insurance will cover some of the expenses for home care, assisted living and/or nursing home bills. If you don’t have insurance, these bills are paid directly by you. A life time of savings can be totally depleted in just a matter of months.
3. Can you afford long-term care insurance?
This last question is personal (as if the others were not) and you need to consult your financial advisor and estate planner if you have one. Consider your current age, current assets, projected life expectancy, cost of monthly premiums and determine: is it worth it for me? What would happen if I didn’t have long-term care insurance? If I or one of my family got sick, could I afford to give them the care they need and deserve, and for how long?

If you decide to carry this insurance, I strongly urge you to shop around and compare policies. Check the details of the policy. Here are just a few:
•    What are the determining factors that you need before applying for benefits?
•    How long after these determining factors “kick in” do you have to wait before you receive your first payment?
•    Are there limits to the amount the insurance company will pay each day? Each month?
•    How are payments made: direct deposit to you? Or to the nursing facility?
•    Does the company have a support hot line if you need assistance?

Long-term care insurance is not an easy topic to discuss, but one we have to face. In the meantime, eat smart, exercise and be happy. That’s the best long term health insurance plan I know.

If you truly follow your heart’s desire, you can create your dream job! Too many midlifers settle for a job we don’t like, or at best, tolerate.  We spend our days living to work, rather than the other way around, working to live.

If you love what you do, the money and the success, will follow. Things have a way of falling into place when we are clear about what we really want. They did for Jeanne White, the host of The Connect Show on Radio Network Dreamvisions7 Flag Station, WBNW 1120 AM, Boston.

She writes in her biography on the show’s new website, (www.connectwithjeannewhite.com) “I have always harbored a dream to become a radio talk show host.”

Though her heart was focused on broadcasting, Jeanne’s initial career track was in a totally different direction. After earning a Bachelor’s degree from Simmons College, Boston, a paralegal certification from Aquinas College and a Frank J. Manning Gerontology Certificate from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, she became a certified Shine Counselor, working with the elderly population helping them make educated insurance decisions. As if that were not enough, she became a Certified Yoga Teacher through the Finding Inner Peace Yoga School—a far cry from radio talk show host.

But the dream couldn’t be shaken. Her focus on helping and networking with others to solve problems led her to become an advocate of The Starlight Children’s Foundation of New England, dedicated to bringing happiness, hope and an improved quality of life to seriously ill children and their families in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

This commitment to helping others brought Jeanne to the attention of Candita Mamet, a regular host of the radio talk show, Healthy Living Guide.

Hearing that Jeanne had always had a longing for the radio talk show format, Candita raised the idea of Jeanne’s starting a new show. “Focus on the people chasing dreams and working at what they love.” Jeanne knew first hand how important it was to follow one’s heart’s desire and she agreed to try. With that, The Connect Show was born.

Today The Connect Show is part of the Dreamvisions7 Radio Network. Their mission: to be a holistic healing network with an eclectic group of radio hosts all with the common goal to help humankind by offering different modalities or programs combined with tools to bring awareness, joy, peace and ease to our listeners both in the local and global arena. The flagship station is WBNW 1120 AM, Boston, simulcast with WPLM 1390 AM & WESO 970 AM plus voice streaming on the Internet connecting Internationally.

On the second Saturday of the month, from 11 am – 12 noon, The Connect Show covers a wide range of topics ranging from business networking to current events. Jeanne shares the key purpose to her talk show: “My focus is to offer diverse, valuable and inspiring topics and resources. My goal with the show is to put people together….to make connections and provide networks and tools that will enhance people’s lives. My commitment is to network people with the objective of making their day to day lives a little easier and happier! As I say, ‘It’s all about connections! Get Connected!’”

There is nothing quite so disheartening than dragging your boomer body out of bed on a crisp cool morning, throwing on a t shirt and an old baggy pair of shorts, pulling on a mismatched pair of socks and beat up old sneakers and heading out for the gym, only to find yourself surrounded by 20-somethings in their sleek thong-leotards and cropped tops, looking super svelt next to your lumpy body.

It’s happened to me more than once. And the whole experience has had a negative impact on my self-esteem, and motivation to exercise. Well, enough of this. You may have a lumpy body, but that’s why you’re going to the gym in the first place: to get yourself in better shape. You want to feel good as well as look good. And the fitness center is the best place to start. Here are ten tips for choosing the right fitness clothing. You can look great at the gym.

Tip #1: Do not wear oversized t-shirts. You may think you are hiding those love handles, but wearing something that is too big for you will only make you look oversized. Continue Reading »

Summer is just around the corner here in the northeast and it’s time to shop for this seasons’s supply of sunblock. Today’s boomer generation foolishly spent their teenage summers on the beach or poolside, slathered in baby oil, seeking the perfect tan. Today, our skin is showing the results. And our dermatologists are warning us, if we don’t get the right skin protection there will be serious consequences.

No one wants to look older than they are. But skin, especially facial skin, can reveal your age faster than just about any other feature. You can call them “freckles” but when those brown age spots start to grow and pop… it’s time for some serious prevention.

• If the damage has already been done, you might find this online e-book helpful: Eight Years Younger: Turn Back Time By Implementing These Moisture-Infusing Techniques.

If you’re shopping for sun protection, I suggest you bypass the sunscreen and go directly to the sunblock. Sunscreen does what it says: it screens the harmful rays of the sun, but they still get through, no matter how high the number. What you want to do is BLOCK the sun’s damaging rays, and for that you need to get a product that contains ZINC, the best know blocker on the planet. Remember those lifeguards with their noses covered with white cream? The smart ones used zinc to protect their facial features. Without it, serious sun damage was inevitable. There are a number of products on the market to choose from. Here is the one I prefer.

Solbar Zinc- The Best Product Out There. Goes on light, gets absorbed quickly and feels soft and not sticky. Buy it online. Here is the Dermstore “blurb” about Solbar:

SOLBAR creates high sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen products for dermatologists and their patients by Person & Covey, Inc., the company that pioneered development of products to protect skin from the harmful effects of UVB and UVA radiation. All Solbar products offer broad-spectrum protection with special appeal and benefits suited to an individual’s type of skin and exposure. Solbar was developed in response to dermatologists’ requests for therapeutic and cosmetic-quality products to protect patients with light or sun-damaged skin, people who live in sun-intensive areas, people who spend extended time in the sun, and those with photosensitization caused by medical conditions or medication.

Check them out at Dermstore. It’s a great product!

As a boomer moving through midlife you might be surprised one morning to find yourself staring in the mirror wondering “Who the heck is this person?”

For years I have washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on makeup in front of the same mirror but I seldom looked closely. After all, I know who I am and what I look like. But this morning I took a really close look: skin that looks soft and smooth from a distance is beginning to show small wrinkles and they’re not laugh lines anymore. We’re talking tiny but permanent wrinkles! And where did that grey hair come from? I reach for my comb and “ouch!” a new twinge in my back tells me I’m not quite the same today as I was a few years ago.

It is happening to every boomer! Even if you are an exercise fanatic, those knees that always felt fine when you were running, are beginning to send you an occasional “pop!” to let you know that they are tired of beating down the pavement every day.

So what do you do? How do you cope with the occasional ache or pain?

First, of course, you don’t ignore it. Your body is sending you a signal: “TAKE CARE OF ME!” which only you can translate for your particular circumstance. Maybe you are doing too much! Hauling furniture around your apartment by yourself might not be a great idea or running that fast on the treadmill at the gym, might be entering “overload.” So take it easy!

Maybe the signal your body is sending you is the total opposite: Maybe you aren’t doing enough. You sit at your desk all day, working at the computer (which can really send your shoulders and wrists into spasms once in a while) and then you drive home in a car with an old front seat that no longer supports your increasingly large bottom, you make dinner, or worse, you eat at the local fast food, finally get home and flop in front of the TV for three hours before heading to bed to rest up for another day of slogging along. Your body aches because you don’t use it well enough.

Only you know why your body aches. Yes, there are aspirins to take and aching muscle salves to rub in when you’ve gone over board (or “under board” as the case may be)— but better than that is prevention: a balanced approach to taking care of this body that has served you well for the first half of your life. You want it to last for the second half. Pay attention! Give your body a balanced diet, exercise and relaxation and it will repay you tenfold.

No matter what body size you were as a younger person, midlife promises to pack on the pounds. One thing that’s guaranteed: we change as we age!

How to get back in shape? Stay in shape?

Secret One: Whatever your workout, focus not on quantity but quality. You can go to the gym, get on a treadmill, walk for an hour at an easy pace and never loose an ounce. You need to get your heart rate up to get the most out of your workout. Your target should be between 70 – 85% of your maximum heart rate… and keep it there for 30 minutes! Example: for a 50 year old your target should be between 119-145 (70-85% of max heart rate.) A lot of cardio equipment has the target rates built into the controls. Just enter your age and weight and the machine gives you the target you should aim for.

Secret Two: Exercise to work those muscles you use everyday: especially the core muscles: abdomen and lower back so they remain strong. Keeping your core strong is essential to keep your balance and preventing injuries. Use a Bosu (half ball) when you lift weights. You strengthen your core, and your upper body at the same time.

Secret Three: If you want to maintain muscle mass, use less weight and increase the reps for each exercise. It’s far smarter to lift a 5 lb weight 60 times, then a 10 lb weight 30!

Secret Four: Focus on exercises that are better for joint health: walking, cycling or swimming are all good choices. Running and jogging are tough on your knees and ankles. Some people can run their entire lives, but most of us don’t need the unnecessary bone to bone crunch that only leads to injuries.

Secret Five: If you are happy with your weight and you are at a point of maintenance you will need to eliminate 100-200 calories a day from your diet. As you age your metabolism slows down. If at 50 you still eat like a twenty-year old you will absolutely gain weight! By eliminating calorie intake by a couple hundred calories each day you will offset the slow down in metabolism and maintain your weight – and do it without dieting. (Cut out that extra glass of wine at dinner, for example, and you’ve just cut back!)

And finally…

Secret Six: Quit smoking. This is no secret. You’ve heard it hundreds of times. Smoking is key to heart disease, diabetes and a host of horrible health problems. Besides, it makes you smell bad. It isn’t easy for some people to quit and they will puff till their dying day, which will be sooner than later.

If you’re a midlifer and you are ready to take your health and fitness seriously, try these simple secrets and you will see that boomer bulge begin to melt away.

There are lots of weight loss programs available on the net:
Discover Combat The Fat!
Fit Over 40!

Susan Boyle’s done it again. A fabulous performance on Britain’s Got Talent this past Saturday has propelled this woman from Scotland to the top of the popularity list for up and coming talent! Even with a bit of a shaky start, she delivered! — and is favored to win the whole enchilada. Just goes to show it’s never too late. If you have a dream, no matter your age, never give up. Go for it.

(Note: if the video does not appear below, click here to see the full video at YouTube.)

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Exercise? Who has the time. Life is filled with so many responsibilities: work, family, children, grandchildren?! Boomers run around trying to get it all done just as fast as everyone else. But having entered the “midlife years” it’s even more important to exercise. The middle age body’s metabolism begins to slow down and if you want to keep in shape you have to take time to work on it.

I know — one more thing to pile on to all the others. But think of it this way: if keeping yourself healthy and fit becomes priority #1, then everything else you do—work, family, kids actually becomes easier because you have more energy. (It seems paradoxical but if you are really tired, the best way to get your energy back is not to sleep, but to exercise. Take a walk around the block before you hit the hay. You will actually sleep better.)

The big question is, “How do you find the time to exercise?” You know you should. You agree it’s the right thing to do to stay healthy and on top of your game. But how do you squeeze the exercise slot into your schedule? Here are a few tips that might help.

1. Be realistic. Look at your calendar and your current time commitments and find a time where there may be flexibility. You might not find an hour, but you might find fifteen minutes at lunchtime. Use that for a short walk. Find short periods of time in your day and use those effectively. If you are shopping, park at a distance from the store’s front door and get a brisk walk in. Take the stairs rather than the elevator.

2. Get up a half hour earlier. This may or may not be possible, but it’s worth considering.

3. Lay out your exercise clothes the night before. If you have a hard time getting motivated for exercise in the early morning, arrange your shoes, socks, shorts and shirt on a chair and set it between your bed and the door. You’ll have to walk by them to get to the bathroom. Might be just the “nudge” you need.

4. If you can’t make it to the gym, consider some of these simple exercises mentioned in these great articles.

• Stretching Exercises you can do at your desk
• Five Quick Exercises you can do in no time
• Isometric Moves for the workplace

Keeping yourself healthy is worth the effort. If it’s a priority, you will find the time. Make it so and you will be the better and stronger for it.

I subscribe to a number of daily newsletters. One from this morning dealt with an issue many boomers are facing today. When is it time to take the car keys away from your elderly parent?

The writer of the article described his father as having dementia and being very difficult to deal with. The older man insisted on continuing to drive his car despite some serious accidents. “He’s a terrible driver, and I know he’s going to hurt himself and probably someone else. What can I do to get him off the road?”

As our parents grow older, occasional memory lapses are natural, but dementia is a very serious medical condition that impairs a person’s judgment. If you know that your parent is in danger of hurting themselves or others, you have no choice, you must take action.

In our family we’ve had to deal with this in a variety of ways. When my aunt of 82 went missing for an entire day because she had driven herself downtown and couldn’t find her way back, her son decided it was time to act. He wanted to treat her with respect and not dictate what she could or could not do. He tried to talk to her about it, leaving the decision to stop driving to her. But she stubbornly insisted she was fine. Knowing she would never stop unless her car was disabled, he quietly removed her car’s alternator. The next day when she went to start the car, the engine wouldn’t turn over. When she told her son about it, he put her off, saying he would get the car fixed, but of course he never did. Instead he volunteered to drive her whenever he could and arranged for the Senior Center Van to pick her up for her weekly shopping trips. Although she had lost some of her independence she was satisfied that she could still do her errands and visit her friends.

In my father’s case, we were very lucky. By the time he was in his early 80’s it was clear he should no longer be driving. One day he drove his buddies to their monthly church meeting and parked the car nearby. The car was stolen. Honest. We did not arrange the theft, but were grateful it had happened. No confrontation necessary. He decided a new car wasn’t worth the effort or money and let it all go.

In both these instances the elder parent finally came to peace with the decision not to drive. But if your parent’s driving is becoming of grave concern to you and they will not voluntarily stop taking the car, you may have to call your local motor vehicle department and report the problem. It’s not the easiest solution, but as an outside authority, they may be able to convince the older person to stop getting on the road.

You might find one of these articles helpful as well:
Taking the Keys Away
When Dad Should Stop Driving

Last night Susan Boyle gave her final performance on Britain’s Got Talent TV show. Dressed in a beautiful  blue floor-length gown, she repeated the song that stunned everyone “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Miserables. The video wasn’t available on YouTube until this morning (see it below) but already more than half a million people had viewed it and by the time I finish this post the number will surely be several thousand higher.
(If the video does not appear, click here to view it at YouTube)

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Once again it was a great performance. She was self-assured and self confident, using more demonstrative gestures to deliver the song. The audience and all three judges gave her a standing ovation. But perhaps judge Piers Morgan said too much. He said that, without equivocation, she should win the contest. I could hear boos in the background from the competition’s fans. Perhaps it was just too much enthusiasm, and just what the other contestant’s fans needed to boost the votes. For when it all came down a few hours after the program was done and all the votes were counted, Susan Boyle came in — second. She lost to a dance group, Diversity. But as reported in The Los Angeles Times:

Susan Boyle proved a gracious loser today when the dance group Diversity won the top prize on “Britain’s Got Talent.”

“The best people won,” said Boyle. “They’re very entertaining. Lads, I wish you all the best.”
On this evening’s finale, the 48-year-old Scotswoman performed her best-known number, “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Miserables,” the song that carried her to fame on her first appearance on the show
It had been a rough week for Boyle leading up to the finals. She had a well-publicized shouting match with a group of journalists and was reportedly considering pulling out of the competition on account of nerves.
But she rebounded and delivered a performance tonight that was warmly welcomed by the audience.

It’s been a great ride for the woman from Scotland, and I’m sure she will be making a Christmas Album very shortly! We’ve not heard the last of Susan Boyle. The woman has courage, guts and a dream she still needs to fill: to sing before the Queen which I believe will indeed happen someday soon.

Every baby boomer I know has aches and pains. Lots of them.

It’s as if a magical switch clicks on when you hit midlife and your body suddenly decides to rebel. Things you did without any pain at all suddenly leave your joints crying for help. Five years ago you could be on your knees in the garden for hours without any problem. Now, try that, and the next day your joints ache all over. That bike ride or run in the morning used to leave you feeling refreshed. Now when you get back after a workout, you just collapse in a heap and reach for the aspirin. What is happening to your body?

As we age, our bodies change. The joints and muscles have been working for you for years. Fifty years, sixty years — a very long time. Think of your body in terms of a machine. It works efficiently for years, but it needs to be well maintained. A car without an oil change or lube job becomes a squeaky old clunker that barely gets you down the road. In the same way, our joints need lubrication. As we age the cartilage, the cushion between our bones begins to thin and dry out. It can get so thin that eventually there is nothing at all between the bones. — You don’t want to know how painful that can be.

How do you prevent this “drying out” of the cartilage and maintain a healthy moist cushion between your bones? Continue Reading »

Golf is one of the best exercises for the midlife boomer.

As a boomer, you may feel that your days as an athlete are behind you. But one of the best ways to continue being involved in sports is by taking up the game of golf. This is one activity that can be enjoyed long into your retirement years. It offers the opportunity to get out in the open air, meet and socialize with like minded people, and keep your body flexible and strong.

How to begin?

First, talk to your friends who play golf and ask where they play. Inquire if there are instructors available or a golf clinic you could join. When I first considered learning to play I found a nearby golf club that had an early morning clinic. Each week we were given a short simple instruction for one aspect of the game and then sent out on the back nine holes of the course to play. It was a method of instant immersion which was a bit terrifying, but those of us who really wanted to learn kept at it, each week building one lesson at a time to learn the basics.

Another method is to join a friend at the driving range. Borrow some clubs, buy a bucket of balls, and ask for a little friendly guidance.

If you are still interested, I strongly recommend taking a lesson or two from the local pro. And ask their advice in purchasing your own set of clubs. Until you are sure you want to continue it might be wise to buy a “generic” set from a sporting goods shop, or clubs from a store that sells “gently used” sports equipment.

There is some debate about this question. Golf clubs are expensive. If you do buy clubs that are not just right for you (the wrong length or a shaft that doesn’t fit your swing style) you may find you never improve. But if you are serious about the game and can see yourself playing for years to come, then ask the golf pro to fit you for clubs. They will observe your swing, and overall posture and recommend a set that works with your particular style of play.

One thing you don’t want to do is buy a mixed set of clubs, (i.e. a driver from one manufacturer, woods from another, two irons from a third, the sand wedge from a fourth, etc. etc.) You will end up with a mish mash of miss matched clubs that are of different weights and shafts, each performing in a sightly different way. Your game will always be inconsistent because your clubs are inconsistent. The best way to purchase clubs, especially when it comes to irons, is to buy them all from the same manufacturer so that the shaft, weight and balance of each club matches all the others. Each club has a different loft and is used to accomplish a different task, but they all perform in a similar way. This goes a long way to bringing consistency to your game.

Once you have your clubs, the final step is to get out there and practice, practice, practice. With a little confidence you can soon join a foursome and really begin to enjoy the game.

As a Baby Boomer trying to juggle a hundred things at once, there are days when I feel like I am running in circles, one concentric circle around another, and another. From the outside it might look as if I am accomplishing a great deal. But it’s not true.

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When you get to the middle of your life — midlife, everything seems to start coming at you all at once. Your children are growing up and it’s time to pay for college. Your parents are getting older, and it’s time to think of them in a new way—with an eye to how you might best care for them if they need help. And then there’s the job you were counting on to last till your retirement — it is no longer satisfying and as far as money is concerned — it seems it will never grow to a level where you can feel comfortable.

How do you find balance in your life once you’ve hit the middle of your life?

Life is constantly changing and shifting, and balance can only be realized by delibrately seeking it. The simplest way to find that moment of balance is to simply stop what you are doing. Just stop. Step back from the reality you are in and take a deep breath. (Don’t worry. The world will continue for a minute or two without you.) Then close your eyes and just breathe.  As you take that deep breath, listen to the sounds around you. It doesn’t matter where you are: sitting on a park bench, standing in a grocery aisle with a push cart in your hands. Just listen for half a minute — 30 seconds. Focus your attention on the now moment in which you are living. Become aware that this stillness in the chaos of your day is a moment of balance you can savor. Just be there and appreciate the fact you are alive and well, and able to just be still. Let your shoulders drop and whatever weight you are carrying slide away for just a moment. Take another deep breath, acknowledge the possibility that life in all its complexity is essentially good — that even the chaos has value and life has a way of working itself out. One more breath, open your eyes, and continue on with whatever you were doing.

It takes a deliberate choice to create these moments of balance in your life but short as they are, moments like this can be very helpful in keeping your life from feeling as if its spinning out of control.

There are many good resources on the internet that you might find helpful in seeking balance in your life. Here are just a few.

• Women and Balance
• Mind Tools
• Center for Balanced Living

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A few years Congress passed a law that prevented most companies from using telemarketers to sell their products over the phone. Since then almost all those “during dinner time” phone calls from some XYZ Service have stopped. But calls from non-profit organizations can still get through. I just got another one this morning. I think they love to target the Boomer Generation. We’ve still got some money to spend.

It’s Sunday morning and I am watching Meet the Press. The phone rings and I answer. Immediately this young woman begins reading some pitch to me about the horrors of some strange disease — how many people get this strange disease, about how my small donation can help thousands, and how much would I like to give to their very special, one-time, very important fund-raising campaign?

Duh? First, I have no time for this. I am in the middle of waking up on a Sunday morning. I’m still on my first cup of coffee. Second, I have no clue who this person is, never heard of her very special, one-time, very important fund-raising campaign, in fact I never heard of this strange disease for which she is begging my money.

What to do? How do I respond? I have five different methods I use to respond to such unsolicited phone calls and they range from rude to total passive aggressive.

1. Say nothing and hang up. - This is good, but only for the short term. They will call again.

2. Let them talk on and on, and after their entire pitch is done tell them you can’t hear them and could they repeat the message. After they repeat the pitch, tell them you can’t hear them and ask them to repeat it again. And again, and again. (I once had a telemarketer go through their pitch five times before she got the message and hung up on me.)

3. Let them talk on – Put the phone down and walk away. – This too is good, as you don’t have to listen to the pitch, but has the potential to lock up your phone for a while.

4. When they ask for you by name, tell them you’re a relative and that the person they are calling is dead. That will at least get your name off the list.

5. But the most sensible solution is the best, and one that I use most of the time. When they start in on their pitch, stop them immediately and tell them to take your name off their call list. (By law, they have to honor your request). If you are in any way interested in the cause they are promoting, ask them to send you materials in the mail. But never, and I mean NEVER give a telemarketer any personal information such as your credit card. Remember, this is an unsolicited phone call. This person called you. You have no idea if he or she is who they say they are. They may be a legit representative of the ABC Foundation they represent, or the Police and Fire Retirement Society, but you don’t know that. You could be talking to a fifteen year old kid with a deep voice and a talent for getting people to give over their hard earned money.

My best advice: Be wise. Be careful. Be stingy with your personal information.

It’s about this time of life — the middle — that many in the Boomer Generation take stock of their lives, try to focus on what’s happened so far, and begin to consider future possibilities with a certain wisdom that only comes from lived experience. These are the years of midlife memoirs: writing down for yourself, or for others, something about the life you have lived and what significance it has had on who and where you are right now.

Many people journal. Short, simple thoughts, jotted on a page in a book that only the writer reads. There is no thought of publication. For those who want to share their daily musings with the world at large, blogging has become the medium of choice.

But for some, like Patricia Harman, publishing a memoir in the traditional sense (hardcover, published by a major house) is the route to go. “The Blue Cotton Gown, A Midwife’s Memoir,” is a powerful story of her life and work as a midwife in the hard scrabble world of Appalachia. The many women and families she encounters in her practice turn to her for help, and she cares for both their bodies and their spirits.

The stories she retells weave a tale of compassion where the best of self is discovered. Women dealing with life and death choices come to her for help and no matter the cost, she responds. Throughout the memoir, Harmon does not flinch from telling of her own struggles with her career, dealing with financial difficulties, doubts about the future, and her own sudden illness that threatens the medical practice that she and her husband struggle to maintain.

A compelling read! We recommend it!

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The Boomer Generation is online BIG TIME. But can they keep up with the technology? Better yet, can they succeed in this highly competitive world of the online community?

If you are Baby Boomer somewhere in the midlife of your years on the planet, you’ve already lived through some pretty major technological advances. Remember 33 LPs? (They are actually coming back as highly prized collector’s items.) Remember the 8-track? Cassettes?…Boom Boxes? (They’re really big now, as well.)

ipods, iPhones, iMacs, Blackberries, Strawberries, Blueberries?—blogging, tweeting— they are just the next variation on what we already have experienced.

So can Boomers do well in this world of hi speed internet? Absolutely. You just have to decide where and how, and in which direction to put your focus. Wisdom and discernment are called for. You can’t grab hold and join every band wagon that comes down the pike. But you can succeed, and do it well, if you find your niche and really work it.

In the last few months the editors of midlifejourney.com have encountered a number of very successful Baby Boomers who are making second or third careers online by blogging, offering membership sites, creating affiliate sites or even joining online sites where they can do very well playing poker.

Here are a few of the successful boomers we have been following:

Jeff Herring who is a master and teacher of internet article marketing.

Stephen Beck who teaches online courses in webinars and membership sites.

Cathy Perkins, the WordPress Wizard.

Dotsie Bregel, founder of BoomerWomenSpeak.com and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.

There are dozens of other Boomers doing well online. During the next week we will be reviewing the Best of the Baby Boomer Blogs and exploring the question of what it takes to succeed online. Check back.

I have a friend, a baby boomer, who loves to play online poker at one of the many online poker websites. His favorite: PokerStars.com. Texas Holdem is his game. And he’s very good. Wins good money. He spends much of his weekends playing free poker online, watching the stars of the World Series Poker play at full tilt. I don’t play poker, but I am fascinated by its popularity, especially among the 20+ crowd who are winning millions of dollars every day, either online or at live poker events. They play against poker professionals twice their age, with decades of experience, and often, come out on top. It begs the question, can a Baby Boomer succeed at online or live poker? What’s turned these young poker players into poker wizards?

While searching for the answer, I came across a book published a couple of years ago, which I think has stumbled onto one explanation: Gadgets, Games and Gizomos for Learning. (Book is available at amazon.com). According to author Karl M. Kapp, it all has to do with video gaming! and the learning experience of those who play them. A short excerpt captures the essence of his explanation:

…I found myself watching a televised poker tournament at 2:00 A.M. Through half-open eyes, I noticed twenty-one year olds playing against fifty-five year olds, the grand masters of poker, and winning. How could that be? Why were these young guys, kids really, winning? How could they hold their own against such experienced and knowledgeable players?

Then the announcer, as if reading my mind, provided the answer: “One of the reasons relatively unknown poker players can defeat thirty-year poker veterans is because of online poker.” What? Did I hear him correctly: online poker? What do you mean? How is that like “real” poker? …

…The announcer explained that online poker allows a gambler to play as many as eight hands at once against unseen but real opponents. The experience of playing so many hands over and over again while receiving almost instant feedback on good or bad bluffs allows twenty-one year olds to gain as much experience in two years as someone who has been playing poker all his life.

Wow! It hit me. Maybe this generation of kids, my kids, my gamer kids, has a different expectation for learning, an expectation for learning, an expectation built on a framework of video games providing instant feedback and constant interaction. A framework augmented by constant access to gadgets and a comfort level with thechonology that boomers and Generation Xers can only imagine.

Do baby boomers have a chance against these poker wizards? Can they even catch up? I don’t know. It takes a great deal of online playing experience—a serious time commitment most boomers just can’t afford.

One of the “realities” that hit me when I finally made it to midlife, is how important it is for me to have good friends in my life I can count on.

Having family nearby, or not further than a phone call away, is important. For many of us, family is a “given.” We don’t choose the family we are born into, though we may choose how close we remain to that “given” circle as we grow older. But we do choose the friends we keep close by.

I am fortunate to have many good associates— partners in business, social circles, and networking groups. I call and count on them often as I work and enjoy life. I have many of these circles. They don’t necessarily interact with each other. I kid my friends that the first time they will meet each other will be at my funeral.

… I’ve been thinking of purchasing a retirement home, but having a hard time selecting a location. I hate the cold of the northeast winters, but mind the humidity of the southeast coastline in the summers. Luckily, I have friends in both locations and for the past few years have spent time in the “on seasons” in both. Of course, there is always Montana and the fabulous Glacier National Park—but I don’t know anyone nearby… and there is Kansas, or Mississippi – but that too won’t work as I do not have friends or family in either location.

My choice for where to locate for the second half of my life will be determined by friends and family, no matter where I land.

Perhaps I should make a list of all my relatives and friends, hire a small RV and travel from person to person, spending just a few days in each place. If I work it right I could make the rounds over and over again, just paying for gas and the occasional thankyou dinner out. A true traveler! Of course, I would probably have to give up my day job, focus on just blogging and live off the kindness of others. Do you think it’s doable?

I don’t walk enough. I’m too busy sitting at my desk, typing on my computer, reading and contributing to my blogs. I need to get up off my duff and take a short stroll about the neighborhood. I know I should do this. I remind myself often, to just get up and move. Sitting for 3 – 4 hours at a time, 10 hours a day at a computer screen, is not really living well.

It is about 2:30 on a splendid summer day here on Cape Cod. The breeze is blowing, the sky is blue, the neighborhood is quiet and sultry. Humid, yes, but perfectly tolerable. And I am still sitting. What do I need to get up and go?

Just came across this video on YouTube: How to Practice Buddhist Walking Meditation. It’s only 3 minutes long which I think I should be able to handle that. And I want to share it with you as well.

Check out this YouTube site… they also have meditations to lose weight, practice kindness. Watch, learn and enjoy.

Recently, I was scanning the shelves in the local bookstore. Of course, being a baby boomer, I was in the Self-Help section — I’m always looking for new information to help with my “midlife” life. And I stumbled upon a great book that I highly recommend to all of you.

How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
What’s not to love about this book? I’ve been struggling with my closet for years. At last here is guidance to help figure out what to keep, what to throw away, what works and what does not. Every woman who is 40+ needs to read this book! She handles everything from hairstyles (get rid of the helmet head look people!) to skin care to the right pair of jeans to wear. Great advice for a wanna look younger person like me.

Here’s just a sample from Chapter 12: Top 25 Clothes That Just Gotta Go (I’m listing just ten from her list. – Check out the book for the full list.)

No matter how attached you are to any of these pieces, it’s time to part company, because they will date you and make you look OL (Old Lady). Don’t even think about keeping them for stay-around-the-house days, as you don’t want to be caught in them if the FedEx guy rings your bell.

1. Holiday sweaters with bells and appliqués (reindeers, teddy bears, bumblebees, pumpkins)
2. Granny/mommy necklaces that tell how many grandchildren/children you have
3. Souvenir T-Shirts
4. Ripped jeans
5. Shoulder pads
6. Over sized blazers
7. Elastic-waist pants
8. Granny undies
9. Penny loafers
10. Bearlike, full-length fur coats

Do you agree? or is there something too precious to part with on your list? Leave your comments below!

The author holds nothing back… and lets you have her stark advice right between the eyes. Even if you don’t agree with everything she writes, the information is worth reading!

Guest Author: Geian Gardi

Flexibility is a key ingredient in a healthy regimen. As we age, it is only natural that our joints get a little stiff, our bones get a little more fragile. But as long as we remain flexible by stretching and exercising regularly, injuries will be far fewer.

. . . . .

Why You Need to Stretch and Improve Your Flexibility

By Geian Gardi

Most of today’s society is plagued with muscular imbalances due to repetitive patterns of movement which place undue stress on the body. That includes sitting or standing for long periods, and repeating the same movements overtime.

Muscular imbalance are a result of poor movement of the joints, inappropriate muscles taking over the function of the primary muscles, and decreased nueromuscular control. People of all ages and all fitness levels can benefit from stretching.

Stretching improves joint range of motion, improves the function of your muscles and improves neuromuscular control or efficiency.

Flexibility is the range of motion around a specific joint or a set of joints. Every movement you make including daily activities in general, exercise as well as all sports require your joints to move through a full range of motion. Therefore a lack of flexiblity will lead to muscular imbalances and eventually injury.

Stretching exercises don’t require any special equipment so they can be performed anywhere, at your desk, at home or in the gym.

Flexibility and stretching exercises should be performed during warm up and cool down. Stretching during warm up prepares your muscles prior to exercise and prevents injury. Stretching after a workout improves joint range of motion and helps your muscles recover after a workout which also prevents excessive muscle soreness.

And if you don’t exercise and lead a sedentary lifestyle it’s even more crucial you perform some form of stretching and flexibility exercises. Just remember to only stretch to the point of slight tension and hold for at least 30 seconds. Never bounce while stretching.

Its best to stretch every major muscle group. That includes the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, hips and buttocks, back, chest, shoulders and neck. Stretches must be held for at least 30 seconds to improve flexibility.

There are different forms of flexibility training, including static, active, dynamic and self myofacial release with a foam roller.

Static stretching is the most common type of stretching seen in fitness today. It involves taking a muscle to a low point of tension and holding that stretch for a minimum of 20 to 30 seconds. This allows lengthening of the muscle being stretched by contracting the opposite muscle. This type of stretching is a great way to correct muscle imbalances.

Self myofacial release is also a form of corrective stretching. By applying pressure to “knots” or sensitive areas of a muscle, this technique allows bundled muscle fibers to be straightened and inline with the direction of the muscle, This in turn leads to lengthening of the muscles. It’s a great way to restore your body to it’s optimal level of functioning. This can be done by rolling specific muscles on a foam roll.

Active stretching and dynamic stretching are another form of stretching. They should be performed only as a warm up prior to exercise and stretches are held for very short durations with several repetitions. They should only be performed if you have no muscle imbalances.

Improve you flexibility and not only will you feel great but you’ll improve your posture, reduce your risk of injury, relieve pain, counteract aging, improve muscle recovery after workouts and reduce stress.

About The Author: Geian Gardi is a NASM certified personal trainer and owner and operator of a Strength Training Website which offers sample workouts and fitness information.

Get sample Stretching Flexibility Exercises that include static, foam roll and active stretching, complete with images and instructions.

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Guest Author: Taren Coleman

Every Baby Boomer should be preparing for retirement, even if it’s decades away. Especially if it’s decades away!!! Socking away a little each month in a 401K, a Roth IRA, even an emergency savings account should be an essential part of your plan. But with today’s economic situation it may not be as easy as it was to keep up those payments. If you are faced with a depletion or resources and a sudden emergency lands on your doorstep, you may be tempted to actually tap into those savings. It’s not the best idea, but if you are forced to do so, there are ways to do it that won’t leave you stranded.

. . . .

Tips on Tapping Into Your Retirement Funds

By Taren Coleman

Is tapping into your retirement savings a good option to get you through a financial crunch? The short answer is…no. Although it is your money, the tax consequences and impact to your long-term savings are very serious. If your need is so pressing that no other option will suffice, proceed with caution and know the rules.

The Loan: A loan from your 401(k) allows you to borrow against your savings. The loan must be repaid – with interest! – usually within five years. But, if you lose your job or leave the company and still have an outstanding loan, you are required to pay it back (typically) within one to two months. Failure to repay the loan accordingly is considered a default and the outstanding loan amount is fully taxable. Other restrictions may apply so be sure to talk with your 401(k) administrator before making this choice.

The Hardship Withdrawal: This option provides you with access to your savings under certain financial conditions, i.e. circumstances that present an immediate and severe need. Examples of hardships include medical care, the purchase of a principal residence, tuition payments, to prevent eviction or foreclosure, and funeral expenses. The two biggest drawbacks? You are permanently reducing your retirement savings and the withdrawal is treated as taxable income. Also, if you take the withdrawal prior to your age 59 ½, there is a 10% penalty added to the withdrawal amount.

If you are changing jobs or kissing the work world good-bye, your retirement accounts need special attention. To make your transition easier, keep in mind the following three options for managing your 401(k) or other qualified plans:

1. Leave the money in your current plan. You may have the option to leave your money in the account where it is. You will want to review the plan’s summary description for any restrictions that may apply.

2. Withdraw the money in a lump sum. As mentioned above, withdrawals are not recommended because they are fully taxable, and if you are under age 59 ½, there is an additional 10% penalty applied to the withdrawal amount.

3. Rollover the money into an IRA or new employer’s plan. Moving your money allows you to maintain control over your investment options. And, if you have changed jobs before, it allows you to consolidate multiple accounts. You can avoid paying taxes and penalties if you transfer the assets directly to the new custodian as a trustee-to-trustee transfer. One caveat to consider – if you own company stock in your plan, you may want to review an additional option before you initiate the rollover of that stock. Distributions of company stock from a qualified plan are eligible for favorable tax treatment. A calculation of potential Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) will help you determine what’s right for your situation.

Taren Coleman is the founder of Coleman Financial Group. She specializes in retirement income planning and is dedicated to helping her clients Build Confidence in Their Financial Futures. For more information visit http://www.colemanfinancialgroup.com

Coleman Financial Group is a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through H. Beck, Iinc. Member FINRA/SIPC. H.Beck, Inc. and Coleman Financial Group are not affiliated.

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If you are a Baby Boomer who is searching for true love, you need to be smart about the “who, where and how,” but the search for your perfect soul mate is not a lost cause. In this article, guest author, Samantha Jayne offers some great strategies for Building a Lasting Relationship after you hit that midlife mark of 50!

. . . . .

Over 50 Dating – Baby Boomers Finding Love – It’s Easier Than You Think!

Guest Author:  Samantha Jayne

Meeting someone special for the second time round is easier than you think! The biggest difference between finding love in your 20’s and 30’s is experience! You are now in a great position, your adult tasks have been accomplished, career established, children have grown up and in many cases you have more time and disposable money for you! It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labour!

If you are serious about finding love you need to take a strategic approach. Just as you would have a plan for any goal in life such as buying a house, career, weight loss or holiday. Take fate into your own hands and open the door, challenge yourself to find love by a given date.

Let me share with you top 10 strategies to finding love in your 50’s:

1. Get out and about! Break out of your comfort zone. You have wonderful friends, family, and career, it’s time to get out there! Meet new people, try new things, a new course, cooking classes and dancing are and excellent way to meet singles. Take some golf lessons or simply enjoy a coffee in a new cafe whilst reading the paper, you never know who’s path you may cross!

2. Network! Expand your wings. Let your friends and family know that you are dating. Have them introduce you to anyone that may be suitable.

3. Get back in touch! Look up an old friend you have lost touch with. A large portion of people in their 50’s rekindle romances and find love from their past.

4. Hire a professional! Professional matchmakers meet single men and women daily who are in the search for finding love for the second time round. A professional will do the work for you, find out what it is you are searching for in a person, run through compatibility tests based on values and lifestyles and most importantly offer you the advice and support you need.

5. Make new single friends! Having single friends in the same situation will give you healthy support. Host dinner parties and invite new people to join your group.

6. Be positive! Listen to your words, are you negative? Complaining that no one is good enough, and that everyone wants a younger man or woman will get you nowhere! Loose the cynicism, it is a huge turn off, you will be more attractive with a positive attitude.

7. Engage in light conversation. The intention of your date should be purely to having a nice time while getting to know a new person.

8. Prepare conversation starters. I always recommend 3 – 5 open ended questions about food, travel, favourite weekend escapes, and favourite outdoor activities. It is a great opportunity for you to establish whether there is intrigue or an interest in a second date.

9. The topic of children. Mention you children however don’t dwell on the subject, your date will lose interest. Remember your date is here getting to know you not your children.

10. The ex! Embrace the past relationship and move on, your second relationship will never compete with the first. Once you acknowledge the past have confidence in yourself in finding a new will happen sooner rather than later.

Most importantly have fun! You are in a great time in your life! Have balance between friends, family, time for you and of course finding new love! Learn to live in the moment. Be fulfilled by who you are now and remember, not everyone will be the love of your life, but it is likely you will make many wonderful friends along the way for your search for your companion. My most valuable advice is to never give up!

Samantha Jayne is dating Expert, Presenter and Matchmaker for exclusive matchmaking company for professional singles Blue Label Life. She has matched thousands of couples who have walked down the isle, is a guest speaker and presenter at seminars and events. To find the one you are looking for or to simply meet like-minded professionals visit http://www.bluelabellife.com.au

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Doing well in today’s economic climate is a challenge. Guest author, Jeanne Yocum of Tuscarora Communications, Ltd has some wise advice for the savvy boomer business owner.

. . . . .

Writing Proposals That Win Business

By Jeanne Yocum

Tuscarora Communications, Ltd

Ratcheting up your organization to pursue new business as the economy recovers (hopefully!) is invigorating. The good news is that revenues finally may start growing again. The bad news is that bringing new business in the door may require writing proposals, a time-consuming activity that many business people would rather skip.

Increasingly, savvy business owners are requiring proposals to ensure that they get the best possible solution at an attractive price; learning how to write great proposals to increase your win rate is a must. Once you are confident in your ability to compete on paper, proposals will become less of a necessary evil and more of a sure-fire way to gain a competitive edge.

Here are tips for making sure your business proposals are winners:

•  Begin by demonstrating knowledge of your prospect. Establish from the get-go that you understand the prospect’s objectives and challenges as they relate to the product or service you wish to provide. This may seem like you’re telling them things they already know, but in reality prospects want to be certain you understand their situation and needs. Briefly state the problem before launching into your solution.

•  Clarity is essential. Simple, concise writing is a must. Avoid long-winded paragraphs and use bullet points wherever possible. Don’t be overly technical and steer away from jargon or catch phrases. You never know who might be on the decision-making team, so write for a general audience instead of assuming that only people with your level of technical expertise will read the proposal. Have someone else give your first draft a test read to make sure it is easily understood.

•  Beware of boilerplate. It’s tempting to keep recycling portions of previous proposals; the “copy and paste” functions are definitely time-savers! But be careful about relying too much on boilerplate material. The last impression you want to give a prospect is that your proposal is the same “off-the-shelf” response you give to everybody. Again, this is part of convincing the prospect that you understand his/her specific situation and are offering a tailored solution.

•  Avoid an 11^th hour sprint. Many of us made it through college by finishing every term paper an hour before it was due. Carrying that habit over to your business proposal writing can be dangerous. Rarely does anyone do his/her best writing when the clock is ticking down the final minutes before a deadline. Start writing as soon as you can and plan to finish at least a day ahead of time. This gives you time to sleep on what you’ve written and to read it thoroughly with “fresh eyes” on a new day.

•  Looks do matter. Great ideas and appropriate pricing are important but even those things won’t help your proposal rise to the top of the competitive pile if it looks sloppy. Choose a readable typeface, an appropriate page layout, and good quality paper. If you are submitting your document electronically, be sure to use formatting commands that will display well on different computers and screen sizes. If you’re unclear about what that means, check with someone who knows the ins and outs of word processing or use a PDF file. Check with the intended recipient to ensure software compatibility and whenever possible, follow up with a printed copy. Include graphics where feasible to break up the text and make the whole thing more readable. Your goal is a professional looking proposal that conveys your attention to detail.

•  Proofread. And then proofread again. All other things being equal, who would you hire–the company whose proposal was error free or the one whose proposal had typos or grammatical errors? Relying on spellcheckers is perilous. Also, it’s hard to do a great job proofreading something you’ve slaved over for several days, so recruit some fresh eyes for the job. And then proofread it one more time. Pay special attention to headlines, a spot where typos are often overlooked.

_______

Jeanne Yocum, president of Tuscarora Communications, Ltd., has over 20 years’ experience in planning and implementing corporate communications and public relations programs. She also writes book proposals and ghostwrites business books. Her Web site is

http://www.yourghostwriter.com and she can be reached at Jeanne@yourghostwriter.com.

As we age it is normal to have occasional memory lapses. We experience it in our friends and in ourselves, and many Baby Boomers deal with this in regard to aging parents as well. What is the difference between one of those minor moments we all have once in a while and a more severe loss of memory? What are the indicators you should look for? For guest author, Patty Okawa this issue has become a personal one as she shares in the following article.

. . . . .

What You Should Know About Mild Memory Loss Versus Severe Memory Loss!

Guest Author: Patty Okawa

This article is very close to my heart. It is about memory loss, and how to understand what mild memory loss is, compared to severe memory loss. I dedicate this to a very special little lady, who is only 4 feet tall, and cute as a button, her name is Haruko (my mother-in-law), she is 97 years old. Her health is like that of a 75 year old.

About 9 months ago, she had a pace maker put in. This procedure required general anesthesia. Physically, she came out of the procedure, feeling healthy and strong, but mentally, there seemed to be a severe down turn with her memory. Before the pacemaker was put in, mom’s memory loss seemed mild. Now, she is unable to remember what happened 5 minutes ago, when asked what her daughter and son’s names are, she cannot remember. We found ourselves constantly repeating the same thing, it was like she heard it for the first time.

When asking her doctor about this, she just felt, it was due to old age, something very common according to her. She did say, that sometimes general anesthesia could cause minor memory loss. As the days went on, mom’s memory kept deteriorating, to the point that she could not understand what she was watching on the television anymore or what she had just ate for dinner, all her memory seemed to have faded away. At night, I would feel very sad, feeling like she has left us. Frustrated, I decided to do some extensive research on the subject. I wanted to understand, what the difference was between, mild memory loss, and severe memory loss. Is there anything we can do, to help one who is suffering from this.

Here are my findings:

What is mild memory loss?

What is a severe memory loss:

These are serious memory problems because they affect one’s safety and health.

Medical problems which may cause severe memory loss:

Things you can do if you are worried about your memory?

Ways to keep your memory strong:

Remember to Remember!

I would like to tell you a little about myself, hoping to bring you a more personal connection. Every article is written with sincerity, passion, caring, experience, and professionalism. My goal is to reach out to everyone and provide them with all the knowledge and experience I have to hopefully make a difference in their lives. I have helped hundreds of people in creating major changes toward a better and more fulfilling life.

Sincerely,

Patty Okawa

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Every Baby Boomer I know wants to stay healthy. But as we enter midlife and begin to feel those aches and pains, staying healthy becomes something that should not be taken for granted. I used to kid my grandmother when she would say, “If you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.” I now realize she was right. If I can continue to maintain good health, I can do just about anything I want.

It’s not always easy to eat healthy, and choosing organic, can be very expensive. Lots of tempting fatty foods are “out there” just waiting to be devoured! Guest author Jamie Jefferson has a few ideas that might help you choose the right foods… and save money at the same time.

In the words of the famous Julia Child, “Bon Appetite!”

. . . . .

Eat Healthy For Less – Tips For Saving Money While Eating Well

By Jamie Jefferson

Eating well and saving money don’t have to be mutually exclusive. If you’ve wanted to eat healthier but think you can’t afford it, think again. The key to eating healthfully on a budget is to plan your purchases, learn to cook from home, buy in bulk and take advantage of local produce. Here are some tips.

One of the biggest money wasters, and threats to good eating, is going to the grocery store without a plan. You can put yourself in an even worse position if you go to the store on an empty stomach.

The grocery store is full of temptations. Foods that are full of fat, calories and additives line the aisles in the stores. Make a list before you leave the house and be sure to have a healthy snack before you go. By preparing yourself before you go you can be sure that you’ll stave off temptation.

The second most important rule in eating healthfully on a budget is to cook at home. Packaged food costs a lot more money than the fresh ingredients that it takes to make them. If you haven’t made a habit of cooking at home before, start with a few simple recipes.

You can always expand your repertoire by taking a local healthy cooking class. When you cook at home, you can add lots of vegetables into recipes that normally don’t have them. Salads, soups and baked chicken meals can be prepared very inexpensively and healthfully at home.

You can save a lot of money at the grocery store by shopping around. Purchase products such as rice and vegetable stock in bulk. If you stock up on these basics you can save a lot of money in the long run.

Also, try to shop from more than just one store. You can often save a lot of money if you shop around and find the best prices. Make sure to arrange your cooking menu around the sales and you’ll always be able to save money. After a few weeks of comparing prices, you’ll know right off the bat where you can save the most on each item that you need.

Any healthy diet should be full of vegetables and fruits. For these, make sure you are looking at sources locally. Take advantage of farmer’s markets and fruit stands in your area. Even if the food is not organic, buying your fruits and vegetables from local farmers has benefits over buying food that is shipped across the state or across the country.

With a little time and dedication to saving money, you can find deals on healthy food. Apply these tips on your next shopping trip and you’ll be eating healthy for less.

Jamie Jefferson writes for Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com, where you’ll find wine discounts and coupons, as well as printable grocery coupons.

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Recently I posted some tips from the best selling book:

How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better
Author Charla Krupp handles everything from hairstyles (get rid of the “helmet head look” people!) to skin care to the right pair of jeans to wear. Great advice for a “wanna look younger” person like me.

The post received a lot of great comments and hinted that you wanted more of her great advice. Here’s a few more to consider.

From Chapter 12: UNMATCH Your Wardrobe.

Nothing ages you like
• Outfits that are too matchy-matchy
• Dressing head to toe in one designer
• Looking like you tried too hard
• Looking like you didn’t try at all
• Clothes that are too young

This last bullet point needs some explanation:
Too Young! Here’s a list of FORBIDDEN FASHION ITEMS for every woman past the age of 30 who wants to look effortlessly chic and classy:

Ankle bracelets, belly necklaces, body piercing,boy shorts, collegiate sweats, t-shirts and caps, colored cowboy boots, Crocs (unless you are in your garden), Daisy dukes, earmuffs, ear piercing in multiples, flip-flops in the city, Go-Go boots (are people still wearing these?), leg warmers, micro mini dresses, micro mini skirts, mittens, nameplate necklaces, newsboy caps, scrunchies, super-low-riding jeans, tattoos, tie-dye anything (sorry Woodstock), tights in neon colors, toe rings, tube tops

The book has great advice, I’m only scratching the surface. The book is now on sale at Amazon.com. How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better

For many Baby Boomers, reaching the middle years marks a plateau in romance. The early light and fires of passion have died down Hopefully they still smolder just under the surface of your life. You may be alone due to a break up or death of a partner. Just because you are getting older does not mean your life has to be lived alone. Whether you are single seeking romance, or in a relationship that needs a new spark… guest author Della Cory has some advice for spicing up your love life.

. . . . .

Keep the Romance Alive – How Living In Can Spice Up Your Life and Keep You Young at Heart

Guest Author: Della Cory

All love stories don’t necessarily have to end with the ‘getting married and living happily ever after’ tag. Yes of course, there are many people these days that find themselves left alone again after many years of being happily married or in a happy relationship either because of the passing away of their partner or due to a divorce. Most unattached seniors who are faced with the sudden shock of being single and lonely again are either devastated or traumatized for life. If you have experienced any of this, then you don’t have to punish yourself by being lonely all your life. These days, more and more unattached, mature, independent adults are looking out for partners, as they are not ready to live lonely lives. Remember, never give up on love! Just because you are not young in age doesn’t mean you don’t have to be young at heart! Yes, life is a roller coaster; you’ve got to ride it, and enjoy it!

Whoever said that ‘living in’ was only something that the young folks did? Nowadays, there is an increasing number of older, more mature and independent couples who have turned to ‘living in’ to add that extra spark and romance to their relationships. Yes, building and maintaining a relationship is definitely not an easy task. Even after years and years of living together, most couples are still struggling to deal with their differences that become more obvious since they are staying together. The key to keeping any relationship alive is patience.

For years now, people have looked down on this whole concept terming it as a sure shot way to kill the passion and romance in any relationship. Despite all the controversies surrounding this whole concept of living in, couples that have been in such relationships will tell you that living together can indeed keep the passion alive. Have you ever asked yourself if it is humanly possible to keep the romance alive in a cohabiting relationship? Although it can be quite challenging, it isn’t impossible. Like anything that is valuable and precious, it takes patience, time and loads of attention to create a magical relationship if you’re living in with the love of your life. But, like everything valuable, it doesn’t come easily. You have to work hard to create that magical effect.

Myths will have you believe that the day-to-day routine of living with your partner can be mundane and boring. On the contrary, these day-to-day routines can help build intimacy instead of destroying it. That is only if you make time to be caring and intimate with your partner on a daily basis. From dealing with your partners little quirks and idiosyncrasies to making these same idiosyncrasies endearing to you, a live in relationship can be very fulfilling and gratifying.

Here’s what a live in relationship can do to add that little spark to our lives:

When you think of it, life hands us joy in different shapes and forms. It is entirely up to us to appreciate and savor these little pleasures.

If you liked this article and would like to know about Baby Boomer Singles, single parents or empty nesters, expert personalized introduction facilitation services. Visit our site for mature aged over 40’s dating

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September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

For the next thirty days we are going to focus on all kinds of relationships for Baby Boomers and the wild tangents that spring from that center of interest: Romance, dating, marriage, divorce, workplace craziness, communication skills (silent and otherwise), even relationships with your best pet. We welcome your ideas and comments, and if you wish, send us an article to add your perspective on this ever fascinating topic.

On this first day of September the subject is communication: sending and receiving those non-verbal signals that communicate what you are thinking without your saying a word. Guest author Emiko Jaffe explores the subject.

. . . . .

Getting Clear – Cleaning Up My Communication Style
By Emiko Jaffe

Last weekend I attended an amazing workshop led by horse whispering life coach Koelle Simpson. I knew I would be learning some really cool tools and strategies on how to better manage my energy (and boy did I!), but the most valuable lesson I learned was how necessary it is to be crystal clear on what I want.

Working with the horses showed me exactly what my energy communicated: a jumbled mess. The first time I attempted to get a horse from the workshop to move in a direction I wanted, I was really hopped up on high manic energy and the thought I will make this horse do my bidding! I had heard a lot about join-ups (getting the horse to think you’re okay enough to lead him around) so I thought I was the bomb when the horse did this without me initiating it. The problem here was that I didn’t initiate or communicate this to the horse, he just decided to do what he felt like and I let him. I told myself this is how I wanted this to go down and called it a success. In reality, my intention was to jog him around the ring a few times and then have him join-up. At one point, Boyd Varty, who was co-coaching with Koelle asked me “do you know what you want the horse to do right now?” and I had to admit that, no, I really didn’t. I thought I had everyone (especially me) convinced that my communication style was direct and clear, but at that moment, my lack of clarity was as obvious as a Lady Gaga outfit. I’d been in this situation before. With my children, I’d thought I’d been clear when I asked them to go to bed and told them I expected them to stay in bed and with my ex-husband I thought I’d been clear when I’d told him we really should just be friends and never get romantically involved-in both cases my words communicated one thing and my energy broadcasted something entirely different. Consequently, the results I yielded from both of these circumstances looked very different from what I wanted.

So now that I knew what the problem was, I wanted to figure out how to make it right. This is what I learned about communicating clearly and I knew if it helped me, it would surely help others (this can be applied to your family members, bosses, spouses, neighbors, God, the Universe or anyone else you communicate with):

1. Figure out what you really and truly want. I made a list of qualities that I wanted my relationship with my children to reflect-Koelle made me get really detailed with this: for example, peaceful was not going to cut it, however, I would like my children to go to bed peacefully and stay in bed without my involvement was much more clear. Listing my intentions was a good start, but the intentions lack teeth without the proper energy and actions to back them up. Continue Reading »

September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

For the next twenty-nine days we are going to focus on all kinds of relationships for Baby Boomers and the wild tangents that spring from that center of interest: Romance, dating, marriage, divorce, workplace craziness, communication skills (silent and otherwise), even relationships with your best pet. We welcome your ideas and comments, and if you wish, send us an article to add your perspective on this ever fascinating topic.

On this first second of September the subject is relationship trouble: Guest author, Bob Alexander gives some very practical advice for those of you who discover your relationships are not always picture perfect.

. . . . .

How to Know If You Have Relationship Trouble!

Guest Author: Bob Alexander

If you’re in a relationship, you have relationship trouble! It may not have reared its ugly head lately, but it’s there! One moment you have no clue that there is a problem and the next you’re blind sided by your spouse or significant other wanting their space.

There are volumes of books and acres of relationship training classes somewhere, but I haven’t used them. Instead I’ll draw on my experience in troublesome relationships as a basis for the following information.

Relationship trouble can slip up on a person, male or female. You may not have realized it yet, so I’ll show you some things to watch out for. I’m speaking from the male point of view, but they could just as easily be applied to the opposite sex.

Two people simply cannot co-exist without some kind of friction that bubbles to the surface when you least expect it. If you’ve reached that point, here are a few things watch out for:

You know you’re in trouble when she no longer laughs at your jokes, no matter how funny they are to you. There was probably a time when a burst of laughter showed how much she appreciated your wisdom and insight, but now all you get is a roll of her eyes. You may also get a tired look of acceptance indicating that she’s stuck with hearing the same old lame jokes.

Of course this could be an indication of a deeper problem that can only be fixed by seriously considering possible cures. Marriage counseling is always a good thing, even if only one of the participants wants to go. Many marriages have been saved when one reluctant partner is brow beaten into joining the discussion, only to find that they’re the ones who get most out of the counseling session.

You know there are serious problems in your marriage or relationship when she stops listening to the old music that meant so much to you both back when you first discovered each other. Now she’s decided that she likes rap music, something that you can’t stand.

If you think she plays it loudly just to annoy you, you’re probably right, but countering this maneuver with a country song blasting over the radio, “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone” will not win you any points in the relationship battle. Get some help!

In most cases music is a balm to the heart, but there are exceptions. A radical departure from the status quo means there is a larger underlying situation that hasn’t been resolved. Strive to communicate again with music that you both like.

One of the great things about having a spouse or girlfriend who you really love, is the ability to share exciting things with them, even if it’s a bad joke. When that desire stops by either of the parties, it’s a really bad sign that something is amiss.

Sharing means communicating excitement in the good times and bad. If the urge to rush home and tell your spouse about something fantastic you’ve seen has gone, then you need to wake up, see if she feels the same way and then go get some help!

Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing, leisure living and has survived a one time fling with marital discord. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:

http://www.warningsignsofabreakup.com

http://www.redfishbob.com

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September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Throughout the month of September we are going to focus on all kinds of relationships for Baby Boomers and the wild tangents that spring from that center of interest: Romance, dating, marriage, divorce, workplace craziness, communication skills (silent and otherwise), even relationships with your best pet. We welcome your ideas and comments, and if you wish, send us an article to add your perspective on this ever fascinating topic.

On this fifth day of September the subject is friendship. And if you’re a woman, and you have friends  in your life, it’s likely you’ll live longer. Honest!

Guest author Kare Anderson, shares some fascinating results from recent scientific studies.

. . . . .

A Clue to Why Friendships Enable Women to Live Longer

By Kare Anderson

Letting down one’s guard. Chatting. Getting to know each other in comfortable ways. These are not frivolous activities for women after all.

Scientists have long known that having close relationships – even simply social contact – leads to living longer. Until now they did not have proof as to why -especially for women. One clue comes from the chemical reaction to social closeness – even with strangers.

What happens, for example, when women who are strangers to each other are put in a situation where they are encouraged to talk or collaborate? Their progesterone and cortisol levels go up.

How does this affect their behavior? In a recent study women were divided into two groups, one with no encouragement to interact. The other group was given just 20 minutes of an activity that encouraged conversation – such as playing a cooperation-based video game. (I can’t wait share this with my women’s group).

Remarkably, even in that short a time, that second group, with the elevated hormonal levels were more likely to:

• Have reduced chemical levels of stress and anxiety in their body.
• Say they would risk their lives for their partners in the experiment.

Reading this, some may be tempted to take a medical shortcut and take progesterone.

But Dr. Steven Park, a professor at New York Medical College, warns, “You need it in the right doses. And it has to be in the right balance as estrogen in the body. The easier path to better progesterone levels may simply be by making it a point to connect with friends and family more often.”

Kare Anderson is speaker and coach on profitable collaboration, Emmy-winning former NBC and Wall Street Journal reporter, author of Resolving Conflict Sooner, Moving From Me to We blogger and co-founder of the group blog Ugluu; What Makes Us Stick Together.

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September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Throughout the month of September we are going to focus on all kinds of relationships for Baby Boomers and the wild tangents that spring from that center of interest: Romance, dating, marriage, divorce, workplace craziness, communication skills (silent and otherwise), even relationships with your best pet. We welcome your ideas and comments, and if you wish, send us an article to add your perspective on this ever fascinating topic.

On this eighth day of September – Labor Day, the subject is workplace relationships. Guest author, Michael Roberts, Jr. has some wise words on how to make your workplace the best it can be.

. . . . .

Communicating the Right Way at Your Workplace

Guest Author: Michael Roberts Jr

There are so many important things that you need to remember when you are communicating in the workplace! All leaders or people in a leadership position should have been given a communication manual when they first stepped into the workplace. But, since our business angels didn’t foresee this as a requirement we’ve had to learn how to handle certain things on our own. If you haven’t learned those things yet this article is great for you. Because, here we cover a few of the important things that you need to know while communicating in the workplace.

Having integrity is the first thing that needs to be covered in how to communicate well in the work place. In communicating you should remember to keep negative conversations and gossip out of your vocabulary. It is not the way to handle yourself in the workplace. There are appropriate ways to communicate grievances up the chain of command, but never bad mouth the company or your peers with coworkers. Many employers have been known to let employees go because they were the center of workplace gossip. You can have conversations and even friendships with your fellow employees but, do not participate in gossip! If someone is gossiping near you tell them that you don’t want to hear it or just walk away.

A lot of times in business we will find ourselves with a boss that is extremely difficult to deal with. Let’s talk about a few simple ways to deal with them. First of all, never get into a verbal argument with your employer. If you have already tried unsuccessfully to handle a disagreement with your boss feel free to go to your human resource department. Next, always be polite to your employer. Even if this person is a jerk every time he/she is in your presence keep your composure and be positive. This will take you a long ways in the company rather than being a smart mouth and eventually losing your job. In business you must always maintain a good working relationship with your coworkers.

Become indispensable!

Be so good at what you do that your employer doesn’t feel as if anyone else could do it better. If you are an administrative assistant– take it to the next level. Learn to speak another language. We all know that the market is changing and becoming more global every day. How much would your company need you if you were the only person in the entire company that could speak Chinese, Italian, or Spanish. By learning a new language you set yourself apart from everyone else.

This article was written by Michael Roberts Jr. the founder of Manage Up.net

His website is dedicated to developing better organizational leadership. The website has eBooks, articles, and online training for managers. Don’t miss the opportunity to sharpen your skills and take your career to new levels using insightful knowledge from an expert in management.

Visit http://www.manageup.net/ today and receive a FREE eBook to get you started.

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September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Throughout the month of September we focusing on all kinds of relationships for Baby Boomers: Romance, dating, marriage, divorce, workplace craziness, communication skills (silent and otherwise), even relationships with your best pet. We welcome your ideas and comments, and if you wish, send us an article to add your perspective on this ever fascinating topic.

Today the focus is on Dating for Baby Boomers. Guest author, Jane Van Velsen offers some great tips that you should have in mind before you plunge in to the dating scene.

. . . . .

Dating Tips For Baby Boomers

Guest Author: Jane Van Velsen

If you’re reading this you are probably in your late forties or fifties and considering a new partner. The reasons why are not important, what is important is how you approach dating again.

For many over forties re-entering the dating arena is scary. What we took as common place in our teens and twenties just doesn’t hold in today’s society and it’s wise to take precautions. Here are a few handy tips.

Tip One: Where to find the right match.

There are a myriad of dating sites but they come with their own problems. Not everyone online is honest about their intentions and, if you’re new to online dating you can easily fall prey to those who may not have your best interests at heart.

Look at your current social circle including family and ask yourself if they could introduce you to people – even just friends. Networking works and with today’s social media like twitter and blogs you could soon find yourself connecting with strong possibles.

Tip Two: Define what you want.

Do you really know what you’re looking for? Take time out and write down five of the characteristics you need most in your next partner like kindness, financially stable, mature. Each time you make a connection refer to your list and if the date doesn’t fit, move on.

Tip Three: Stop wasting time.

We’ve all read the book or seen the movie ‘He’s just not that into you.” Recognise the signs and move on. The longer you have ‘flotsam’ in your life, the more tied down you are and the harder it is to find the right partner.

You could trip over the perfect partner but not be in a position to get to know them if you’re still hanging on to the wrong one for fear of being alone or simply because the devil you know may be better than the one you don’t. Move on! Continue Reading »

September is Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Are you a Baby Boomer in business for yourself? Are you part of a larger enterprise that serves the public? How do you build and keep great relationships with your clients and customers?

Today the focus is on Customer / Client Relationships and the Importance of Clear Communication. Guest author, Jeanne Yocum offers some great tips that you should have in mind before you create that next message!

. . . . .

Care for Your Customers with Good Writing

Guest Author: Jeanne Yocum, Tuscarora Communications, Ltd.

As a consumer, how many times have you received written communication about a product or service that was confusing or even incomprehensible? A friend recently received a newly formatted utility bill with no accompanying explanation. She told me that the bill was so unlike the company’s previous communication that it took her a while even to realize what it was! In contrast, another company that was also updating its billing format sent an advance notice with a complete explanation of what to expect, including a sample bill.

Which company made a better impression? And which company probably received a flood of calls from confused customers who were unable to interpret their bills?

Clear written communication is a must for good customer service. Sending customers murky messages will lead to higher volumes of calls to your busy customer service staff. The final outcome: frustrated customers and overloaded front-line workers.

In today’s hectic world, customers are inundated with information. Wasting their time with confusing messages is not an option if you want to have a reputation for good customer service. Here are ways you can assure that your company puts its best foot forward in its written communication:

•  Become familiar with readability tests. The Flesch Readability Test, for example, involves counting syllables, words, and sentences in a paragraph and then putting the numbers into a formula to come up with a readability score. Years ago, when I worked for a large insurer, the state mandated that we apply the Flesch Test to our insurance policies. Yes, the test was tedious, but I quickly found that it was teaching me the fundamentals of readability—short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs. Now, even years later, I regularly think back to the Flesch Test when I’m editing copy. It’s amazing how many unnecessary words can be cut out of nearly any first draft!

•  Consider a specialized writing course. Information Mapping, an international company based in Waltham, MA, helps professionals in all types of organizations master the skill of making complex information easy to understand. Several friends who have participated in this training program are among the clearest communicators on paper that I know. To learn more, visit www.infomap.com.

•  Understand that different mediums require different writing techniques. The Internet, for example, requires a whole new way of writing. Because people scan when reading on the Web, messages should be approximately half as long as they would be in a letter or brochure. Key words should be highlighted and bulleted lists used wherever possible. Sun Microsystems’s Web site contains an excellent tutorial on how to write effectively for your Internet audience; check it out at http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting.

•  Test drive your customer service message. Something that may be crystal clear to you may make no sense at all to customers. This happens because it’s all too easy to forget that you are privy to important background information that your audience knows nothing about. Of course, it is critical to involve your front-line workers so they can provide guidance and prepare for any questions. In addition, it makes good sense to test your message on a few people outside of your organization. See what questions they have. These are the same questions that are going to come into your customer service lines!

You fight hard in the marketplace to get customers. Take extra care when communicating with them and you’ll be sure to keep them for a long time.

______________

Jeanne Yocum ‘s writing services include business proposals, book proposals, books, bylined articles, marketing materials and Web sites. Her Web site is http://www.yourghostwriter.com, and she may be reached at Jeanne@yourghostwriter.com.

September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Are you a Single Baby Boomer over 50, looking to get back into the dating scene? Looking for that road to romance? Have you tried the matchmaking scene? Don’t know where to begin? where to go?

Today the focus is on Dating After 50, our target is for the “mature” reader. Guest author, Randy Hough offers some great tips for the single Baby Boomer — things you should have in mind before you head out the door!

. . . . .

Best Secrets For Dating After 50

Guest Author: Randy Hough

Have you ever seen women in their 50’s who discovered the love of their life and wondered how this was done? Here’s the little known, closely kept secret that could change your life. (It’s easier than you think when you know this secret).

You must have noticed that some women keep ending up with the wrong guy, and seem to keep repeating the same mistakes? One thing for sure, it does not have to stay this way. There are ways to get what you deserve and find genuine love and happiness.

It took a long time, but your kids are grown (more or less!), and you have some time for yourself, you can think about dating after 50. Or 40, or 45! Dating after 50 is much different and very often, far better than when you were young and naive.

Now that you have matured, so have your expectations and hopes. You realize that one person can never fulfill all your dreams and longings. Now you know that you are responsible for your own happiness and personal development. If dating after 50 is going to happen, you have to take some kind of action, even if it is in baby steps, you have to get moving. Nothing happens until something moves.

It is always fascinating to hear how people meet. Some people seem to have met by destiny, others met totally randomly. Then again, others were actively searching and still others were caught by surprise! C’est la vie! When you consider all the people in the world, you should be able to meet that special person who is your soul mate; and you can and will, if you truly believe you will.

Secrets for dating after 50

Secrets for meeting people for dating after 50

Using dating services?
Regardless of how unique you are, you can find a dating service that fits your needs perfectly. Some sites cater to Chinese speakers, Christians, sports enthusiasts, etc. For dating after 50 though, eHarmony is the best.

Why does eHarmony work so well? By the time you get to be 50, you probably know who you are and what you want. With the eHarmony method of creating your profile, your matches fit very well. This saves you countless hours of checking out photos and profiles and sending emails.

A very important benefit is that the matches are real. We have all probably heard stories of frustrated people who were shocked when they learned how different the reality was from the profile!

Your time is valuable, so is your heart. Going on date after date after date takes it’s toll on you. As you start using these tips, or secrets, you should be able to meet your soul mate and fall in love. Just make yourself ready and take action steps, even if they are small. Dating after 50 can be the best!

Randy Hough

This all started when a therapist asked Randy what his secret was. This led to a search for safe and natural remedies for the stresses of modern life. Our site, http://safemenopauserelief.com has well researched information on products and methods to help you. There really are many ways to get safe menopause relief. Learn more about dating after 50 and more.

“All they wanted was love and affection!” Line from a song by the Irish band, Clannad, about street kids.

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September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

In this post we focus on Baby Boomers and Their Money!

This September we mark the one year anniversary of the big bust of Wall Street. Scandal after financial scandal have been revealed and the hoped for retirement accounts and income streams of the Baby Boomer Generation have been left in tatters. How much did you lose of your savings? Your pension? Your 401 (k)? Was it in stocks, real estate? Or were you one of the lucky ones who kept their cash under the bed? or in a good old money market account?

Most of the Baby Boomer Generation got slammed. Now it’s pickup time. What do you do next to protect and grow what you have left? Retirement is only a few years away. You’ve got to get serious about your money.

Guest Author, Wesley Watkis offers some advice.

. . . . .

How to Recover Lost Retirement Funds

By Wesley Watkis

The question on many people’s minds these days is how to recover their lost retirement funds. It’s happened to all of us-we invested our hard earned money only to watch the financial system plummet and our investments wither away. Even the low risk accounts are dwindling, making it hard to believe that we will have enough to retire on, much less meet our other financial goals.

Fortunately, there are some smart tips, that can help you rebuild your accounts and get back onto firm financial footing.

- In order for your accounts to recover, you need to be adding money to them and not withdrawing it. This can be hard to do if you are pressed for funds. While the loss of money has already hit home, try living on the amount of retirement income you’ll have at current levels for a month or two. Can you do it? This reality check may help you find the strength to put more money in and not take any out. It’s true that the economy has hit record lows, but with some smart investing you can find ways to begin to rebuild your investments.

- Even though you aren’t taking your money out of your accounts to live on, you may need to alter your money in order to recover your lost retirement funds. While the stock market has declined, the bond market is still seeing returns. They won’t be as high as a well-managed stock portfolio was a few years ago, but it’s still a return on your money and a sound investment in a shaky financial environment. Also, with stocks at record lows, putting your new retirement contributions towards buying them can actually be a smart move. It seems counter-intuitive, but those stocks are likely to rise in the future, giving you a good return over time. Finding the proper equilibrium between risk levels with your money, however, is really the key to rebuilding your wealth.

- No matter what choices you make, seeing a qualified financial advisor should be one of them. No one knows the market better, and these professionals are your best choice to recover lost retirement funds. They know the ins and out of investing, risk factors, and market history, and they can work with you to meet your needs. Whether you need a plan to help you retire soon or want to find ways to plan for a retirement thirty years down the road, they are specialist in the field and can help find the best plan for the time and resources you have.

Recovering lost retirement funds isn’t easy, but it can be done. With some smart planning and the help of a financial advisor, you can begin to cultivate your accounts again even in a unstable market. Life has thrown your plans for a loop, but smart investing can help you retire securely in time.

Questions? Email me at wesley@thewandwgroup.com and visit our website at http://www.thewandwgroup.com. New Money Talk is a weekly article focusing on retirement, personal finance, and estate planning.

Comments and questions are welcome, but because of the volume of email, personal responses are not always possible.

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Are you a Baby Boomer thinking about jumping back into the dating game? I’m sure you’ve heard all the reasons not to. Well, the heck with that. In this guest post, personal love coach, author Sandra Rohr, debunks all those myths about being too old, fear of getting your heart broken, you’re sure to be disappointed!

If you want to get back out there – go for it. It’s never too late to follow your heart.

. . . . .

Tool Old for Love? 5 Myths About Starting Over Again After 50 Debunked

Guest Author: Sandra Rohr

Recently, I met with a woman who has an interesting story. It seems that she and her husband have been separated for many years. They have gone through almost all the steps of the divorce, and there remains only one step to finalize the divorce: taking the signed documents to the judge to pronounce the divorce final. And the interesting thing is that she has held onto those documents for 2 ½ years! She – and her husband – have lived in limbo for 2 ½ years!

As she told her story, she began to sort out the reasons for not completing the divorce, which is that she is 59 and fearful about re-entering the dating/mating scene.

“I’m just too old! And I don’t know anything about dating anymore – it’s just been too long! Everything has changed!” She was nearly in tears as she told her story.

She was stuck in one of the 5 deadly myths about being a mature age and starting over in love.

Myth #1: It just can’t happen.

It’s not true that a life of love and intimacy is only for the young and beautiful. All it takes is that one person, and using the laws of attraction, you can draw that person to you.

Myth #2: I don’t know enough.

Sure, the dating scene has changed since you were a teen, but the people you are likely to want to date – people of your own age – were born and raised in your era. This means that they learned to date for the first time just when you did, so they will have the same understanding of how to date and relate as you do.

Myth #3: I’m too old to start again.

And as for those things that are different now, in spite of the tired cliché “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” you can learn all you need to know about dating in this decade. In fact, your maturity and life experience will help you to learn all you need to know – and very quickly.

Myth #4: I will just get my heart broken.

Actually, I can’t promise that this won’t happen, but I can promise that you will recover, and that you will learn from the experience. Life is risky, and when we put ourselves out there with the intent to love, we are vulnerable. But the alternative is to live a shriveled half-life. And you can learn how to date consciously so that you can balance your head with your heart in your relationships.

Myth #5: Love now could never be as sweet as it once was.

This is surely one of the biggest myths. Falling in love at any age feels just the same as it did when we were 16. Humans never get too old to feel that zing! And the sex, even with our aging bodies, can actually be far better, far more fulfilling than when we were young.

Like a fine wine, life and – more importantly – love can become more wonderful because of – not in spite of – aging. There is a desert wine known as late harvest wine. This wine is created from select grapes that are left to hang on the vine late into the season; the grapes are affected by Botrytis – the “noble rot” – that causes them to become dry and shriveled on the vine – and highly concentrated with sugar. When harvested by hand, pressed, and fermented, these grapes produce a sweet, luscious, honeyed, nectar-like wine. Late harvest love can be as delicious and satisfying as this wonderful late harvest wine.

So go for life. Go for love. Drink deep from that sweet, luscious, honeyed, nectar-like cup! It’s never too late for love, and it’s worth any risk!

And when you’re ready to go for the joys of late harvest love, you’re invited to visit http://YourPersonalLoveCoach.com – from singles and relationship coach Sandra Rohr. You can also sign up for my free 5-day e-course, Posting a Winning Profile to the Internet.

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September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

What do you do when your partner has been unfaithful?

If you are a Baby Boomer who has had the courage to enter into an honest relationship with another person, (and courage is the word to describe what it takes to let yourself be “known” on so many levels) it is devastating if you discover that your partner has been unfaithful. Today’s headlines are filled with the stories of so many people who suffer such circumstances, throw up their hands and simply walk away. It’s become almost commonplace.

But what do you do if you don’t want to walk away? How do you recover?—how does your relationship survive after an affair?

Guest Author, Bruce Merryman offers some advice.

. . . . .

Relationship Recovery After an Affair

By Bruce Merryman

When you first enter into a relationship with someone, every aspect of the relationship seems perfect and magical, but nothing stays the same forever. If you’re one of the lucky couples, your relationship sustains, matures, and improves over time, but the vast majority of couples experience difficulties of some type. The worst and most challenging problem to recover from is infidelity. What to do and how to deal with this issue if you want to stay with your partner is the real challenge.

The first step in recovering your relationship will be difficult because it will require that you both be honest and objective in deciding if you in fact want to recover your relationship. Infidelity causes a great deal of hurt and anger, and it may be best if you both take some time away from each other before you begin to mend anything. Through this separation you’ll both be giving each other the necessary time to re-evaluate things and clear your minds.

Infidelity is a difficult experience to recover from, and if you use this time apart wisely it will help you determine what steps must be taken to avoid going down the same path again.

Facing the challenges of recovering your relationship alone may in fact, be something that you shouldn’t do at all. You have some very serious questions that both of you are trying to deal with, and at this early stage you may not be equipped to handle them effectively. A viable solution to this problem would be to enter into couples or marriage counseling. Professional counseling can help reduce the unhelpful patterns of anger and conflict and constructively help you understand why one or both of you engaged in infidelity.

Counseling will help both of you more easily reveal the anger and frustration that led to the affair and enable both of you to find forgiveness and empathy that will ultimately begin leading you down the path of recovery. Committing to relationship counseling is one of the strongest and best signals that you can send to your partner to indicate the sincerity of your commitment to recover your relationship.

If you like what you’ve just read and would like more information related to recovering a troubled relationship, visit my blog by clicking here.

Bruce Merryman is a successfully retired contractor, who currently works as a performance level classical and solo guitarist. When not performing, he enjoys the rewarding work of teaching others to play. Bruce and his wife have been married for over 40 years, and through that long term relationship has gained some valuable insights about how to a sustain a relationship.

Over the years Bruce has known and observed many couples whose marriages or relationships failed and because of the success of his own marriage is strongly motivated to assist couples in having the same rewarding experience. For more information about relationship recovery, visit my blog by clicking here.

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September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

You thought your love life was settled. You found the right partner and figured this was it! But suddenly there’s a job change, or some family crisis and one of the two of you has to move or travel. For Baby Boomers with aging parents, and today’s climate around job security, saying “no” to the distance issue may not be an option.

You and your partner are determined to make your love last — but can love survive when it’s a long-distance relationship?

Guest Author, Mike Sandy offers some advice.

. . . . .

How to Make it Work – Long Distance Love

Guest Author Mike Sandy

Trust is a Two Way Street

Distance can wreck even the most stable of relationships. The emptiness of not knowing what your partner is doing at any given moment can give way to jealousy and possessiveness. Without trust, relationships are doomed. Each party must demonstrate fidelity and reliability. Being scrupulously truthful is the only way to build trust in a long distance relationship, because your partner isn’t there to check up on you, and both of you know that.

Did you promise each other to call at a certain time? Do it, no excuses. Do you have a virtual date planned for Friday night? Don’t come up with pretexts for being unavailable. If you find yourself in a precarious situation, apply the litmus test: would you be upset by your own behaviour if the roles were reversed? If the answer is yes, then you are on dangerous ground. Trust is a fragile thing, but it can also be a strong web that holds a long distance relationship together. If you can trust each other on the small details, then the bigger issues are easier to build on.

Feel the Love

Couples in long distance relationships have to work extra hard to be demonstrative. Those that make the distance work show their feelings constantly and unequivocally. You have to compensate for the fact that you can’t be affectionate in person. Say ‘I love you’ often, and not just in those three simple words, express your love in other ways too. Share your triumphs and tragedies with each other. Write love letters. Laugh together over an online joke. Send a card, letter, or a gift. Be creative and think of the little things your partner would appreciate. For example, send them a mixed CD with songs that remind both of you of specific moments spent together, or a photo taken at a recent event, or even a piece of cloth that has the scent of your perfume on it. Physical reminders of your love and of each other will bring both of you closer.

To overcome dating problems, gain confidence and for secret tips. CLICK HERE to learn from my personal experience. Take a hot date today with my secret’s.

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September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

By the time you reach midlife, you’ve probably met and befriended dozens of people: from your early kindergarten years, to the co-worker in the next cubicle. Some relationships have lasted through thick and thin, friends for life. Others have just been a passing thing — you meet, you’re friendly, but it is a temporary relationship and easy to move on. Still others are troublesome or downright destructive to your inner spirit. As you reach these middle years of your life, it’s time to become more selective. Time to decide who gets to stay in your circle.

Who to Keep — Who to Toss. Guest author Dr. Robert Puff shares some insights.

. . . . .

Keepers and Tossers

Guest Author: Dr. Robert Puff

Every human being is valuable; however, not every relationship functions in a way that is beneficial to the parties involved. This is why we each need to take inventory of our lives and evaluate which relationships are “Keepers” and which are “Tossers.”

“Tossers” are dysfunctional relationships that sap your energy or add negativity to your life, but are not important enough to be worth the investment of time and emotional energy it would require to try to improve them. “Tossers,” as the name suggests, are relationships that need to be phased out of your life entirely, or have interaction kept to a minimum. Sometimes people outgrow their friends, or simply move on. This is okay. It’s a normal part of life. Don’t feel guilty about it.

“Keepers” are relationships that matter. A relationship may be important because of who the other person is to you, (for example a parent, spouse, child, or sibling), or the relationship may matter because of what it brings to your life. For example a friendship that adds fun, joy, or some other great quality to your time on this Earth is worth investing in.

Just as plants in a garden need to be pruned and watered, “Keeper” relationships need to be managed with healthy boundaries and proactive scheduling. Too often we fail to set healthy boundaries with those “Keeper” folks that drive us crazy–yes, everybody has those. The permanent nature of these relationships tempts us to take the attitude that “it is what it is” and never consider breaking out of old, dysfunctional patterns. Setting healthy boundaries is like pruning a shrub that has taken on an undesirable shape. Plants not only need to be pruned, they also need to be nurtured in order to flourish. So often the significant relationships in our lives may go untended. When was the last time you went on a date with your spouse, had a road trip your best buddy, a heart-to-heart talk with dear old Mom or Dad, or spent quality one-on-one time with your child? Investing in these ways gives relationships the water they need to grow.

Evaluate which individuals currently in your life have the most positive or least negative affect on you. Make it a priority to schedule more time with these people, rather than getting together with the people who drag you down. Don’t fall into the trap of hanging out with someone who is a negative influence, simply because it is easier or requires less planning. Be sure to take time for the people who make you laugh, feed your spirit, and make life worth living. These relationships foster your growth and help you to become your best self, which you can then offer to those you love and the rest of the world.

There are times when we need to make ourselves available to offer support to someone who is going through a difficult time. We can listen to people vent their feelings about personal experiences they’ve had without trying to “fix” them or force them to put on a happy face. Every life has its storms. You may choose to “be there” for a friend, or your family may go through a rough patch. When this occurs, I recommend trying to balance out the draining effect that these times can have by balancing out the negative with more positive. Give yourself permission to let some things that don’t really matter slide. Do more of what you love, whether it’s a hobby, spending time alone reading, or whatever fills you up. Living a positive, healthy lifestyle is not only about restricting the influx of negative influences, but also about letting more of the good stuff in.

I worked with a teenager once who struggled with depression. He was a great individual, but most of the people he spent time with were very negative. As we worked together in therapy our first task was to find healthy activities that he enjoyed. He discovered that he loved being outdoors and hiking, and began to put forth the effort to do these things more often. The more he engaged in activities that he enjoyed, the better he felt and the more he met individuals with whom he could share his passions. As we continued to work together, he was able to form healthy boundaries in his “keeper” relationships and weed out some “tosser” relationships that were dragging him down. The improvement in his outlook on life and ability to really enjoy life were nothing short of a transformation.

Remember to be on the lookout for new, positive, emotionally healthy people who enter your life. If you continually put forth the effort you will find at least one. It is work to find such people, but the pay off is immeasurable.

Dr. Robert Puff is a psychologist and business consultant who has given almost a thousand media interviews, including magazines, online magazines, TV and radio talk shows. If you would like to read or listen to his numerous selections of how to handle fear, manage anger, reduce stress, go to: http://www.doctorpuff.com/

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September is Baby Boomer Relationship Month on midlifejourney.com

Mid-lifers: this is it. The last post of September. In this month of “relationship” we have had posts that focused on your relationship with friends, lovers, parents, children, even money. After all has been said and done… the posts that brought the most traffic and response had to do with friendship so it seems appropriate to end with that as our topic.

Guest author, Susan R. Meyer shares her insights on The Magic of Friendship.

. . . . .

Mapping Midlife – The Magic of Friendship

Guest Author: Susan R Meyer

Lucy and Ethel; Rachel, Monica and Phoebe; Betty and Wilma. What do they all have in common? They were – are – lifelong friends. Somewhere out there almost any day you can find a rerun of these great friends supporting each other, sometimes annoying each other, but always there in the end. Over the course of our lives, our friendships with other women become increasingly important. Illness, divorce, the empty nest, our parents’ deaths, loss of a spouse or other significant relationships are inevitable as we age. “It is our friends who keep us anchored and grounded amid the sea of changes within us and around us,” says Patricia Gottlieb Shapiro in her book Heart to Heart: Deepening Women’s Friendships at Midlife (Berkley Publishing Group, 2001).

Unfortunately, for many of us, our friendships get put low on our list of priorities, robbing us of a significant buffer against sorrow and stress. Our need for a support network never changes. Research tells us that maintaining strong connections with others, whether family or friends, is highly correlated to longevity. Who is in your network?How often do you review your support system? Here are a few questions and a simple model:

Basic Questions

1. How often do I communicate with this person?

2. What common interests do we share?

3. Is this relationship focused in the present or only in the past?

4. Is this person in my inner circle or farther out?

None of these questions automatically rule anyone out of your circle, but they may place constraints on the friendship that will become clear as you set up your support network.

Support Network

Your support network is your inner circle. This is a group of four to eight people you know you can count on. In a good network, you don’t count on the same person for everything. Try to think of two names to put in each of the four categories.

1. Cheerleaders

These people give you unconditional positive support for even your smallest achievement. You can count on them to break out the champagne – real or virtual – to celebrate every good thing in your life. Call on them when you need a boost to celebrate even the tiniest baby step.

2. Comforters

These people are naturally soothing. The will listen to endless renditions of your tale of woe and be as sympathetic on the 40th telling as on the first. They show up with tissues and chocolate. Nothing is ever your fault in their minds.

3. Clarifiers

When you’re ready to plan, these are the people you need. They will break every idea down into the tiniest steps, help you set goals, identify plans to overcome obstacles, and leave you with a great plan and several back-ups. They help you make your every dream crystal clear.

4. Confronters

These are the folks who keep you honest and on track. They hold you to your announced plan. And they won’t entertain any excuses. Need a good, solid boot firmly placed behind you? Call a confronter!

This is the inner circle. It can shift over time. You may be lucky enough to have at least two names in each category. Some of these friends may drift into the outer circle for a time; others may replace them. Review this list twice a year – and see who you serve in these ways

Everyone Else?

Some of us prefer a large circle of friends; some a small cluster. It doesn’t matter. What special gifts does each of your friends bring? What do you bring to them? Take a moment to express gratitude for each of your friends. Cherish them all.

Friendships are just one of life’s adventures. Ready for your newest life adventure? Please visit http://www.life-workcafe.com for more information and resources, including the 20-Minute Quick Map to get you started.

Susan R. Meyer is an Executive and Life Coach and consultant specializing in helping people and organizations connect the dots and implement a plan. You can contact her at dr.susan@life-workcoach.com

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For the Baby Boomers and Midlifers, this October – the Month of The Harvest Moon!: The focus is on Planning for Retirement. We’re talking about finance, and lifestyle choices. Planning for those days when after all your hard work you can “harvest” the rewards – whether that means travel, time, golf, or doing just what you want with your life.

Guest author Scott Martin suggests a way to begin the plan.

. . . . .
Retirement Planner Calculator – Top 4 Must Do’s Before You Even Begin

Retirement Planner Calculator – Top 4 Must Do’s Before You Even Begin

By Scott Martin

No matter how old you are making retirement calculations should be high on your agenda. The earlier you start to think about creating a nest egg the easier your retirement will be. So what is the best retirement planner calculator to use?

Most financial planning software tends to focus on regular contributions to you retirement fund and ways to save on tax. These are both great ideas but I like to concentrate on a proactive investment strategy. Let’s face it

“most retirement funds are going backwards”

Let’s have a look at where most retirement planner calculators get it wrong:

Firstly they rely on other people to run and manage your fund. Secondly they rely on these fund managers actually producing positive returns. The financial advice system is designed to make people feel like it is too hard to manage your own money. The best advice I ever got was look after your own money because as you well know ‘nobody looks after it like you do’.

Learning to manage your own money is the most important fact that all financial planning agents forget to mention. Obviously they don’t want you to do this as it would put them out of a job.

Retirement Planner Calculator – Top 4 MUST DO’s Before You Even Begin

1. Expand your investment knowledge so that you understand what are where you money is invested

2. Find a broker/financial planner that has RESULTS. If they aren’t a successful investor themselves how are they going to help you?

3. Decide on when you would like to retire

4. Decide how much money you need per annum to live on

After you have done these simple things it is up to you to create an investment strategy that can produce consistent returns. Once you have achieved this you can start to estimate what sort of percentage returns you can create. Then it is simply a matter of working out how much savings you will require to earn this amount passively. For instance if you Retirement Planner Calculator says that you require $75,000 per year and you can earn 15% annually then you would require $500,000 in savings to create this amount.

The most important fact when calculating your retirement is to be proactive and increase your investment knowledge.

So are you serious about creating a Rich & Happy Retirement?

“I have never seen a retirement system that is so complete”

Get Your Free Retirement Planner Calculator DVD Today!

http://sharespropertymoney.com is a Free Investment Resource that is currently offering every visitor a Free ‘How to Retire Early & Rich’ DVD & Ebook

Do you want to Retire Within the Next 3 Years?

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For the Baby Boomers and Midlifers, this October – the Month of The Harvest Moon!: The focus is on Planning for Retirement. We’re talking about finance, and lifestyle choices. Planning for those days when after all your hard work you can “harvest” the rewards – whether that means travel, time, golf, or doing just what you want with your life.

Guest author Tyrone Charles Solee shares what NOT to do.

. . . . .

9 Retirement Planning Mistakes

Guest Author: Tyrone Charles Solee

Retirement years are one of the best years in one’s life most especially if you’ve already worked for almost all your entire life. It’s the time to savor the fruits of your labor. It’s time to relax, to free yourself from worries and enjoy the remaining years of your life.

Most people commit mistakes in planning for their retirement years. In the end, they have not successfully retired themselves from work and would either depend on the income of their children to support their needs.

Here are some of the most common retirement planning mistakes people commit:

Depend on the government. The biggest faulty assumption most people commit is that social security and Medicare will take care all of their financial and medical needs in retirement most especially to those citizens of First World Countries that gives huge subsidies to their locals. Definitely, here in our country, you shouldn’t be relying to these government aided benefits as these are not sufficient to sustain your needs during retirement.

Fail to set a goal. If you are serious in planning for your retirement, then set a goal on how to achieve it. A lot of people have never done a calculation to see how much money they will really need to live in retirement. People often overestimate how much annual income their nest egg will provide.

Expect a short retirement. Typically, people underestimate their longevity, how much money they’ll actually need in retirement and at what age they are eligible for full Social Security benefits.

When planning for your retirement, don’t assume that you’ll die soon. I’m not really sure as to what age most men and women die on average but I think nowadays, women have longer life span than men. Possibly, consider living at most up to age 80 for men and 90 for women.

Overlook medical costs. Many people feel that their employer or Medicare will take care of all of their retiree medical needs, including long-term care. The truth is that most of us will be responsible for our own medical care costs after retirement. Unplanned-for medical bills can wipe out a retirement nest egg in a fairly short time.

Forget about inflation. When planning for retirement, don’t forget to consider inflation. Because of inflation, your money will buy less in the future. You must therefore plan saving and investments accordingly.

Underestimate taxes. Don’t underestimate taxes when you retire. It does not mean that when you retire, you can now totally get rid of taxes which used to eat up a portion of your income when you’re still working.

Carry too much debt. Large amounts of debt can torpedo savings efforts. You may earn 6% on your savings, and yet you may pay 10% on your debt.

Expect to keep working. Many people assume they’ll be able to work forever. Yet many retire earlier than planned due to company downsizing or medical problems. So don’t expect that you’ll be able to work forever.

Wait to start saving. The longer you wait to save, the more you will need to save each year. It’s not impossible, but you may need to save a lot more money and retire later than you’d hoped.

So plan your retirement properly and avoid these retirement planning mistakes.

Tyrone Solee is a personal finance blogger with interests on entrepreneurship, personal finance, investments, and self-motivation in order to achieve success and financial goals in life. Visit: http://www.millionaireacts.com

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For the Baby Boomers and Midlifers, this October – the Month of The Harvest Moon!: The focus is on Planning for Retirement. We’re talking about finance, and lifestyle choices. Planning for those days when after all your hard work you can “harvest” the rewards – whether that means travel, time, golf, or doing just what you want with your life. Do you have to do this all on your own? When is the right time to get some objective financial advice?

Guest author Mika Hamilton shares some advice

. . . . .

Should You Hire a Financial Advisor or Go It Alone

By Mika Hamilton

One of the most common questions asked by beginner investors is “Do I need to hire a financial advisor?” Before you can answer that question you need to ask yourself “How much can I improve my financial situation?” You can pay your bills on time, do your own taxes, and you may even have life insurance.

You may feel you are doing a good job handling your personal finances and do not feel you want to spend your time and money on a financial advisor. Financial advisors may not know better than you how to utilized your money in the most appropriate ways. However, they are aware of financial opportunities, tools, and how to use them. They can help you develop a solid well researched financial plan which will create more money for your family, allow you to handle life changes easier, and help protect you against disruptions in the stock market.

Financial investment professionals can help you achieve peace of mind and confirm choices, you feel are correct, in building your investment portfolio. A financial plan helps you to ensure future wealth and comfort. To obtain and maintain your desired lifestyle you must set personal and financial goals which are achievable. People who choose to invest without a financial planner often set impossible goals and get frustrated when they are not meeting them.

You must assess your current financial situation including your assets, income, liabilities, insurance, taxes, and estate. Then you must pin point your financial weaknesses and work to make those areas stronger. Once you have a financial plan you must be able to monitor it regularly. When changes occur in your family (like a new edition), career, or economy – you must adjust your financial plan to continue to meet your established goals.

Can you go it alone? Only you know the answer to that. If the above discussion has made you queasy and overwhelmed then you need to hire a financial planner to help you design and stick to an effective financial plan. However, if you already have a financial plan in motion and it is creating, for you, the financial stability you want – let it keep working for you. As alternative to hiring a financial advisor you can periodically check in with a financial advisor. Most advising companies offer consultations for a moderate price and will help you flesh out and troubleshoot your personally designed financial plan.

Visit the Global Investment Institute and signup for our free Investing For Beginners E-Course at http://www.Global-Investment-Institute.com Investment webmasters or publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

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For the Baby Boomers and Midlifers, this October – the Month of The Harvest Moon!: The focus is on Planning for Retirement. We’re talking about finance, and lifestyle choices. Planning for those days when after all your hard work you can “harvest” the rewards – whether that means travel, time, golf, or doing just what you want with your life. Annuities are just one of the many investment vehicles you can choose to help build up your retirement fund.

Guest author Scott McQuarrie shares some advice

. . . . .

Annuities – Worth Another Look

Annuities – Worth Another Look

Guest Author: Scott McQuarrie

Use the words “insurance” and “investment” in the same sentence these days and most people will think of some pretty negative things, like the government bailout of the huge insurance firm, AIG. Despite the bad publicity, however, insurance is still one of modern life’s basic needs. And insurance companies still offer interesting ways to protect your money as well as your life, health and auto. Annuities are a perfect example.

Annuities are very interesting financial instruments, and one of the main products of insurance companies. Essentially they are “future repayment” contracts between you and an insurance company, which you fund with either a single lump-sum payment or scheduled remittances in advance of the first payout date. The insurance company agrees to make periodic payments of a certain calculated amount, according to an agreed-upon schedule.

Annuities usually feature tax-deferred earnings and might also contain death benefits. Since it is not a replacement for life insurance, the amount that it will pay the beneficiary is some guaranteed minimum amount, often the total of your initial pay-in amount.

Kinds of annuities Generally speaking, there are two types of annuities, fixed and variable. Fixed annuities earn a specified minimum rate of interest while your account is maturing toward its payout date. The insurance company will then guarantee that the periodic payments will be a specified amount for each dollar in the account, payments that could last for either a defined period (15 or 20 years) or for indefinite periods like your lifetime or your spouse’s.

When you opt for a variable annuity, you can select from among various different investing options, mostly mutual funds. The amount you eventually receive will depend on the returns earned from the investments you selected.

Equity-indexed annuities are where the insurance company credits you with a rate of return based on changes in an equity index like the S&P 500 Composite Stock Price Index. Most insurance companies will guarantee a certain minimum return, which rates vary greatly from firm to firm. Following the accumulation period, you will receive periodic payments according to your contract terms, unless you prefer a lump sum payment.

The legal distinctions Each annuity product is a different kind of financial instrument. Fixed annuities are not considered securities and therefore are not regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). On the other hand, variable annuities are securities, so the SEC does exert some oversight of those products. Equity-indexed annuities combine features of other, more traditional insurance products (like a specified minimum rate of return) as well as standard securities (return pegged to the markets).

Because they are constructed in different ways, even within the same company, equity-indexed annuities may or may not be considered securities. It is all according to their particular design. Most equity-indexed annuities marketed today, as a matter of fact, are not registered with the SEC. This means it is more important to check the company, its history and its own financial health if you are going to risk your money on its products.

Fitting into the plan

You can learn more about all the kinds of annuities by doing online research, as well as ordering information from the various insurance companies that deal in the products. A good financial planner, especially one who is also a licensed insurance agent, will be able to help you determine just how you can work an annuity into your financial formula. Again, it is up to you to determine the amount of risk you can stand, and the way you want to structure the deal, because there are no concrete guarantees in any financial instrument, truth be told. The history of annuities, however, should give one sufficient confidence to proceed if everything – the company, the people, the deal, etc. – checks out.

One primary challenge in creating a comprehensive financial plan is making the best use of your funds and limiting the amount of overlap in benefits. That is, if you have other income-producing investments, you don’t need to use annuities for the majority of your future living expenses. Instead, if you anticipate paying for college for a kid or two, you could set up an annuity for that purpose, or according to some other plan that you develop. You can use annuities as a component of various, very effective financial plans, so don’t overlook them.

By Scott McQuarrie, representing the EZWatch Pro brand, a leading provider of computer based video security systems for business, commercial and government applications.

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For the Baby Boomers and Midlifers, this October – the Month of The Harvest Moon!: The focus is on Planning for Retirement. We’re talking about finance, and lifestyle choices. Planning for those days when after all your hard work you can “harvest” the rewards – whether that means travel, time, golf, or doing just what you want with your life. This post is all about life insurance – the things you need to know before you invest.

Guest authorJ.J. Yong shares some advice

. . . . .

Top 10 Things You Must Know About Life Insurance

Guest Author:  J.J. Yong

The more you know about how your life insurance works, the easier it is for you to seek for the right insurance plan. The more research you have made on life insurance policies, the better for you to avoid any possible pitfalls when it comes to insurance purchase.

Here is a list of 10 key things on life insurance which everyone should be aware of,

1. Shopping around saves money

It definitely pays to shop around because premiums vary widely across one Insurance company to another. Getting yourself equipped with the necessary insurance policy information will facilitate your searching for the best optimum Insurance plan.

2. Just get what is needed

Make sure you are not under insured because you are unlikely to get the needed benefits if you are under-insured. Also ensure that you do not over-spend on life insurance because buying more than what you need is a waste of money, just get what you believe is sufficient.

3. What happens in the event of delinquent payments?

You are normally given a grace period of 30 days to make payment on your premium. However if you have not paid within the grace period, your policy will lapse. In the case of permanent insurance policy, if you are late on your payment, your cash value amount will be deducted accordingly by your number of delinquent days.

4. What is the best age to get your Insurance?

The younger you are, the lower your life insurance premiums will be. The reason is because your risk of dying is lower when you are younger.

5. The healthier you are, the better the rates

Healthy people tend to get the best deals when it comes to life insurance.They will be able to get a better rates as compared to those with health problems, e.g, smoking, being overweight or with heart disease.

6. Is the result of my medical exam crucial?

The status of your medical exam results will determine what kind of Insurance rates you will be offered by the insurance company. Your height, weight, health, life-styles are all taken into consideration.

7. Will having more than one policy cancel the other one out?

Not at all. If you have a credit life insurance policy and a whole-life insurance policy, and you paid all the necessary premiums, both policies will pay out according to the initial terms of the policy. The credit life policy will pay off your credit card balance and the death benefits will be paid out on your whole life policy.

8. Can I buy a life insurance policy on someone else?

Yes, if you have insurable interest for that person, normally for a close relative or friend, you can buy insurance for them. However, the official stipulation here is that that person must know about it.

9. Review your coverage regularly

Changes in your life signals the need for a review of your overall financial plan. Always ensure that your coverage is intact with the changes you have gone through such as marriage, birth of a child, impending retirement, retrenchment, promotion have effect on the insurance coverage that you may need.

10. Compare the ratings granted on your finalized list of Insurance companies.

These ratings are provided by several rating agencies such as S&P and Moody’s. Choose a company with higher rating which has more renowned reputation and consider for their better services and fast claim processing.

For more information about life insurance rates and life insurance companies, visit LifeInsuranceEssentials.com.

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I’m a Boomer Blogger. And I’ve been working this blog for a few years. I want to make an income doing it. But I need all the help I can get. I think I found it. Membership Site Mastermind. Here is a bit of my story:

For over two years I’ve been plugging away at this blogging thing and it’s been a mixed blessing. In the beginning, midlifejourney.com was your standard website. I had plans to cover every aspect of the boomer lifestyle. Following the design of a major newspaper, The Boston Globe, the site had tabs and nav bars for everything from Fitness to Finance, Sports to Saving Money. It was too much. No way, could I keep it up. I have a full time job as a graphic designer, and keeping the website fresh and new each day was taking too much time.

I decided to invite other writers to help by contributing their words of wisdom and developed a loyal group of about ten people who consistently sent articles. But, even they dropped off after a while. Life takes over and things change. Finally, the static website just was not working.

It was about that time that I discovered WordPress and redesigned midlifejourney.com into something close to what it is today. But how do I make money at this? Sharing ideas and information was not enough. I wanted to see some income from all my effort. As you can see I have added a number of affiliate advertisements to the sidebar on this blog. If a visitor clicks through one of those ads and purchases a product, midlifejourney.com gets a small piece of the action.

One of the best affiliates with whom I have a partnership is Yaro Starak and his Blog Mastermind Membership Site. I’ve taken his program and continue to benefit from his expertise. With videos, mentoring forums, training modules, group chat rooms, this program has taught me a great deal about blogging, with steps to success, and how not to waste your time on ideas that just don’t work. The program is not inexpensive and it takes time to develop, but it’s worth it. My goal is to create a membership site on one of my other blogs: GolfGurls.com.

So what’s the point of this post? If you are reading this, you are probably a midlifer. If you are a blogger and interested in monetizing your blog or website, then you, like me, need some expertise to help you. Yaro Starak is one of those online blog gurus who knows the ropes and is generous in sharing what he knows. And I strongly recommend his program. If you don’t do anything else, click here to get his FREE Membership Site Masterplan Report. It’s filled with great ideas to help you build your blog.

If you want to know more about the Mastermind Program, click here to see an intro to the program, or here to listen to an interview with Daniel Scocco, one of the big success stories from people who have joined this program.

The Blog Mastermind Membership Site Program is only available once or twice a year. And this week, for the last time this year, his membership site is open for new members. Here are the important dates: Membership is Open – Tuesday October 27th at 9am EST and closes Friday October 30th at midnight EST.

It’s not for everyone. If you are not serious about blogging as a way to increase your revenue stream, then I would say it’s not for you. But if you are interested in exploring ways to increase traffic and monetize your website or blog then this is a great program.

Click here to get your FREE Membership Site Masterplan Report.

Click here to go directly to the Membership Site Mastermind Site for more information.

Thanks for reading this post. Are you making money from your blog? How do you do it?

Bloggers: Monetize Your Site!

Recently I took an online class: Membership Mastermind Training Program with Yaro Starak. It’s a great course, filled with information to help you grow your blog into an endless income stream. Yaro is a super teacher and I have learned a great deal and am still learning.

For the last time this year Yaro is opening the program to new members. If you are a blogger eager to monetize your site, this program may be just right for you. And if you act fast you will be eligible for an AMAZING bonus pack as well. Here’s the story:

. . . . .
Yaro Starak just opened his Membership Site Mastermind Training Program for the last time in 2009. The doors will close on Friday at midnight.

You can join right now at this page (WARNING: it’s a lengthy page, so watch the video instead if you don’t like reading)

There was quite a build up to this opening. Yaro’s report, the Masterplan, was hugely popular and received a lot of great feedback.

Then Yaro hit us with two amazing videos, one explaining his powerful yet simple survey technique that you can use to find out exactly what your people will buy from you.

The second video showed you that it is possible to start building an Internet business in niches that are not about money, by looking at two case studies in two very unique niches (acne treatment and magic illusions).

If you found the Masterplan helpful and the stories of other people enjoying success, people who started off with no Internet business experience, then Yaro’s coaching course is for you.

You even get direct access to Yaro with live coaching calls, so if you want to work with this guru of Internet marketing and get personal support, this is a brilliant opportunity.

Don’t wait, join today and start your journey towards making $10,000 a month from your membership site.

MEGA BONUS PACK IF YOU ACT TODAY

Yaro’s offering an incredible bonus PACK if you join his program within 24 hours of it opening.There are five bonuses, including -

* Two live workshop presentation recordings from Yaro (he rarely speaks on stage, so this is unique content from his latest talks in 2009)

* A series of 13 videos of Yaro revealing his techniques to build a successful and profitable blog (this is really comprehensive stuff!)

* An interview and coaching call discussion with Gideon Shalwick on how to create video using a basic PC or Mac computer

* A detailed discussion of advanced conversion tactics with Will Swayne, the man who helped Yaro sell more of his products in 2008

You can see the full list of what is inside the mega bonus pack by clicking here.

REMEMBER: You only qualify for these bonuses if you join Membership Site Mastermind within 24 hours of it opening, so you need to be quick!

This is a priceless reward for making a decision to join his coaching program early.

You support Yaro and he supports you with his best resources, so if you’re ready to take your Internet business serious, join here.

I wish you the best with your membership site, enjoy Yaro’s program and good luck claiming the bonus pack before the deadline.

You CAN Build An Online Business!

If you are planning to build a sustainable online business but you are not sure how to put all the pieces together, I recommend you take advantage of this coaching course (click this link) -

Yaro Starak’s Membership Site Mastermind is for you if you want a very simple system for setting up near-passive income streams from the Internet, using the membership site model.

It works like this -

1. You find a need in the marketplace where people are suffering from something and they want to fix it (for example – losing weight, or improving your golf score, or how to get pregnant, or how to make money on the stock market, etc)

2. You create an information product that teaches how to solve the problem, which you deliver in steady increments, for example one lesson sent via email every week

3. You charge people a monthly fee to go through the program

The formula is simple enough, but obviously you are going to need to help, which is exactly what Yaro’s training program is for.

He will teach you -

* How to get traffic so you have hungry buyers ready to join your membership site

* How you can launch and start making money with only 10% of the content for your membership site finished

* How to find topic ideas if you are not sure what to base your membership site on

* How to get other people to create your content for you

* And what simple technology you can use to deliver your membership site automatically

…plus so much more.

If you want to see exactly what is inside the program, watch the video here -

CLOSING DEADLINE IS TODAY

I don’t want to rush you, but the doors to this program close tonight (Friday) at midnight EDT US Time.

You should take a look at the sales page and video, decide whether the program is right for you, and join today if you like what you see.

Already over 400 people have taken this course and Yaro’s ready to work with the next group, starting now.

If you want to be part of this amazing community of people all working to build real sustainable and profitable Internet businesses, join today or you will miss out. This is the last time the course will be open this year, so this really is a big deadline. Check it out NOW!

Winners are action takers, so if you want to start winning – take action today before the deadline ends.

To your success!

P.S. There is a full 60 day refund period for this course, so even if you are not sure I recommend you join this program and try it out for yourself.

If you decide it’s not what you want, email Yaro to cancel and get your money back. There’s no reason not to try it, go here now and sign up .

It’s holiday time! And for the next month of so the temptation to eat more and exercise less will be a constant companion. Get a jump on your January Resolutions by paying attention to your health now! Over the next few weeks, Midlifejourney.com will be publishing guest posts by nationally certified personal trainer, Kathy Ekdahl, who shares some of the best ideas to keep you body, mind and spirit in balance!

. . . . .

What is the most effective way to lose body fat?

Losing body fat is different than just “losing weight.” So, your question is a good one. Losing weight is easier…. Just go on a crash diet, lose lots of water and muscle tissue (up to 30% of your weight loss) as well as a little fat, and you’ll weigh less. But it won’t last- your crash diet lowered your metabolism by wasting muscle tissue, so now you gain weight back faster. Diet alone never results in permanent weight loss.

Instead, losing body fat means doing everything nutritionally and exercise wise to promote or maintain muscle tissue while losing body fat. This means you can not go too low in calories, or you will cannibalize muscle, and you must exercise hard to elevate your metabolism and stimulate muscle tissue growth.

As far as exercise, years ago, most fitness experts felt that cardiovascular training was the best way to lose body fat, but, recent research has highlighted the importance of hard strength training and high intensity aerobic work in body fat loss. By hard strength training, I mean multi muscle group exercises that produce muscle exhaustion. What you do, and how you do it, depends on your baseline fitness level, but whole body strength training 2-3 times a week is suggested.  As far as cardio, steady state cardio (like walking or jogging) does not produce the same metabolic increase that intervals of high intensity cardio do. SO- add some intervals of hard cardio 2x a week, and you’ll really start to burn fat.

Finally, as I mentioned above, healthy nutrition is the key to success. This is where most people really have a hard time. Many people need to dramatically change their diets, but most are unaware of what they eat and when, so food logs are an absolute. You must have adequate- but not too much- caloric intake and you must eat with regular frequency, never going too long between meals. Under eating during the day only leads to over eating at night, so skipping meals makes no sense. I believe that reducing processed foods, high fat foods, and refined and “starchy” carbohydrates can dramatically improve your health.  Instead of these foods, add more lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats and fruits, and you will lose body fat.  Eat whole, from the earth, unprocessed foods, and you can’t go wrong!

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com. Visit her website at: http://personalbestpersonaltraining.com/

We all want to stay healthy. I used to run when I was younger and even though I never finished a marathon, I managed a few 10K races. But then life got busier and I stopped running. A few years later when I tried to begin again, my knees started complaining. Guest author and nationally certified personal trainer Kathy Ekdahl has some sound advice for the boomer who wants to start again.

. . . . .

Running to get in shape – But my knees hurt. Is it too late to start again?

Q- I want to start running to get in shape, but every time I try, I get knee and hip pain. Is this inevitable, and does running cause arthritis?

A-Large research studies have shown that runners do not have a greater incidence of osteoarthritis than other populations, so, no, running does not cause arthritis. But, running is a very repetitive form of exercise, and to run without musculoskeletal pain and overuse injuries takes some knowledge and planning. You can’t just throw on a pair of old sneakers and head out the door and expect to be able to run well and run far unless you’ve done your homework!

First, I’d invest in a good pair of sneakers. There are stores that will choose sneakers for you based on your specific foot and gait patterns. Large sporting goods stores may not have personnel who are knowledgeable about gait patterns, so look for a store that caters to runners.

Secondly, there is a great saying about running: “Get fit to run, don’t run to get fit.” To a large degree, I agree with this. If you are not physically prepared for running, it can cause injuries due to its repetitive nature. Running requires healthy strong muscles, good flexibility, and a comprehensive warm-up and cool down to prevent injury. I recommend that you work on your core strength including the muscles of the hips, to prevent the type of nagging foot, back and knee pain many runners experience. Weak, tight hip muscles are a major cause of knee pain!

Make sure that you have a good flexibility program in place as well, stretching the major muscles of the legs including hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings and calves. You should always perform static stretches after you run, not before. Holding stretches statically before you run can cause injuries, not prevent them, as it decreases neuromuscular activation, which is not good if we want the muscles to work for us during running! Instead of static stretches, perform dynamic movements which warm up muscles and joints and help the joints move smoothly. I also highly recommend the use of foam rollers as a way to keep muscle tissue healthy.

Lastly, if you begin to develop nagging pain during or after running, don’t ignore it.  Go see your Doctor. Ignoring injuries always makes them get worse and last longer- and runners have a bad habit of doing this.

Running can be a part of a well rounded fitness program, and while not everyone can or should run, many of us can manage shorter distances (3-4 miles) several days a week without injury.  Remember that running every day is not necessary, so be conservative and run 3 days a week instead of more. And, always start with short distances or run/walks and build up.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at:kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com or visit her website.

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight.

. . . . .

What is the most effective way to lose body fat?

Losing body fat is different than just “losing weight.” So, your question is a good one. Losing weight is easier…. Just go on a crash diet, lose lots of water and muscle tissue (up to 30% of your weight loss) as well as a little fat, and you’ll weigh less. But it won’t last- your crash diet lowered your metabolism by wasting muscle tissue, so now you gain weight back faster. Diet alone never results in permanent weight loss.

Instead, losing body fat means doing everything nutritionally and exercise wise to promote or maintain muscle tissue while losing body fat. This means you can not go too low in calories, or you will cannibalize muscle, and you must exercise hard to elevate your metabolism and stimulate muscle tissue growth.

As far as exercise, years ago, most fitness experts felt that cardiovascular training was the best way to lose body fat, but, recent research has highlighted the importance of hard strength training and high intensity aerobic work in body fat loss. By hard strength training, I mean multi muscle group exercises that produce muscle exhaustion. What you do, and how you do it, depends on your baseline fitness level, but whole body strength training 2-3 times a week is suggested.  As far as cardio, steady state cardio (like walking or jogging) does not produce the same metabolic increase that intervals of high intensity cardio do. SO- add some intervals of hard cardio 2x a week, and you’ll really start to burn fat.

Finally, as I mentioned above, healthy nutrition is the key to success. This is where most people really have a hard time. Many people need to dramatically change their diets, but most are unaware of what they eat and when, so food logs are an absolute. You must have adequate- but not too much- caloric intake and you must eat with regular frequency, never going too long between meals. Under eating during the day only leads to over eating at night, so skipping meals makes no sense. I believe that reducing processed foods, high fat foods, and refined and “starchy” carbohydrates can dramatically improve your health.  Instead of these foods, add more lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats and fruits, and you will lose body fat.  Eat whole, from the earth, unprocessed foods, and you can’t go wrong!

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight.

. . . . .

Q: Why do we gain weight when we age? I exercise and eat the same as I always have, but I am still gaining weight?

There are many factors involved in why we gain weight in our middle age and, in many cases, we can control these factors. What we can not control, is that we all will age. We can slow things down, or accelerate them with our lifestyle choices, but aging is a major factor for weight gain. One primary reason is that, as we age, we lose muscle tissue through a normal (but not optimal) process called sarcopenia. Since muscle tissue drives our metabolism (as we talked about last week), sarcopenia results in a slow down of our metabolism and hence a gain of body fat.  With this loss of muscle tissue, since our metabolisms are slowed, we can eat the same amount of food as when we were younger, but unfortunately now gain weight. This is complicated by the fact that many middle age exercisers rely only on cardiovascular exercise like walking or biking for fitness. Unfortunately, cardiovascular exercise does not add muscle tissue, so this is no longer enough to keep body fat at bay.

Another factor to consider is that aging also causes us to lose other aspects of fitness as well as joint health, so our exercise programs tend to diminish and become less intense out of fear of injury, or fear that “we are too old” to be exercising vigorously. Yet, this is what many of us need to add back lost muscle tissue!

The bottom line is that we need to be doing strength training exercises 2-3 days a week. Strength training is appropriate for almost everybody in some form, and with proper training and progression, all ages can add muscle tissue and resulting strength and power, while reducing risk of injuries. Oh yeah… and lose body fat in the process.

Lastly, take note of what I mentioned above; that we can choose to speed the aging process up, or slow it down, through our lifestyle choices. Exercise, eating well, not smoking, drinking in moderation, taking the proper supplements, will all help you age gracefully.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight.

. . . . .

Q-    Which weight loss programs and/or diets do you recommend?

A- There is no one weight loss program that I recommend to my clients, and in fact, for some clients, I do not recommend any specific diet or weight loss program at all! The research is quite clear: close to 85-90% of the people who lose weight via a diet or “weight loss program”, gain all the weight back, and more. This is a pretty sad statement about the efficacy of the programs and diets that are out there.

In comparative research studies, it has been shown that Weight Watcher’s is the most successful, not because of any specific nutrition or diet recommendations, but because of its well known support system. It is the support system which is an absolute must for those of you trying to lose significant amounts of weight- so this is where Weight Watcher’s really wins! But, amazingly, the average weight loss per year of Weight Watchers is less than 10 pounds, and this is the most successful? Cleary, we are not getting things right here!

I generally do not recommend weight loss programs that have pre- packaged foods. These are often preservative and salt filled, and I personally believe that preservatives, salt, extra sugar, and other processed foods must be eliminated from the diet to achieve permanent weight loss.  Also, what tempts people to try these diets- being told what to eat and when- is also the downfall of these programs. We need to learn to make proper choices for ourselves rather than relying on someone else telling us what to eat. I also do not recommend high protein/high saturated fat/ low carb programs (Atkin’s) either.  I do think that it is too restrictive, not enough healthy foods, and the research is still not conclusive about whether it raises or lowers  cholesterol and lipids. But, having said that, I do believe that for some people, beginning a healthy diet may need to be jumpstarted with a specific diet/ program.

The one diet I do recommend is the South Beach Diet. It is closest to the principles that I ask my clients to adhere to:
-    healthy fats
-    low refined carbohydrates
-    plenty of lean protein
-    lots of vegetables, some fruits
-    Multiple small meals with snacks in between

But even the SB diet goes too low in calories initially, and recipes are a bit cumbersome- so nothing is perfect! And, no matter what “diet” or “program” you go on-  you must be able to maintain that type of eating forever- or you’ll gain the weight back.
The final answer- choose a program you can stick with and is easy to plan and cook for. Avoid diets that restrict one food group or go too low in calories- inevitably these backfire. And, allow yourself a cheat meal each week. This can help you get over the boredom of dieting.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight and staying fit and healthy.

. . . . .

Q- What are the current recommendations for stretching? I keep hearing that you don’t need to stretch before exercise, but when should I stretch?

A- Flexibility is an often overlooked aspect of fitness, and the recent research about stretching has been confused by some to mean stretching is not as necessary as previously thought. Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Flexibility is still an essential part of all exercise programs, but it is important to understand when is the right time to stretch to improve flexibility. The research which you have heard about looked at whether static stretching prior to running decreased injury potential for runners. The results were quite clear- static stretches- ie held stretches for an extended period of time- did NOT decrease injuries in runners. Nor did it improve running times! Additional research since then has shown that static stretching prior to weight training, explosive speed or agility work, or stop and go sports actually INCREASED injury potential in athletes by dampening neuromuscular activity.

So, when is the recommended time for stretching? Static stretches should be done after your workouts, or on days of no workout at all. Daily stretching for 10-15 minutes can make a big difference in movement potential and chronic pain. But, make sure that you are using proper form when you stretch. Your back should be straight, not rounded. Avoid forward bending with a rounded spine- it’s the biggest culprit for back pain and injury! Know which body parts need stretching and which do not. Over stretching already flexible muscles can lead to joint instability. A good personal trainer can assess your flexibility and make recommendations. On another note, Yoga is a fabulous way to improve flexibility, and has been shown to be the one form of stretching which decreases post exercise soreness but, again, overstretching in pretzel-like poses is not good for anybody!

For those who play sports or workout vigorously, pre-exercise flexibility work should be movement oriented. This is called dynamic flexibility, or movement prep. Dynamic flexibility work has been shown to improve sports performance and should be the norm for strength training as well. There are many great books on dynamic flexibility, and one I highly recommend is Magnificent Mobility, by Eric Cressey. Eric is a world renowned strength coach with a training facility in Hudson, MA called Cressey Performance.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.

Another recommendation by author Eric Cressey: Maximum Strength: Get Your Strongest Body in 16 Weeks with the Ultimate Weight-Training Program

Guest author and fitness expert, Kathy Ekdahl shares her secrets to loosing that extra weight and staying fit and healthy.

. . . . .

Q- I hear so much on TV, online and in magazines about all kinds of nutritional supplements. I am trying to lose weight, and I wonder if any of these will help?

A- The nutritional supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry that is largely unregulated.  90% of what is out there is a scam, and worse, some of these products are  dangerous. It is hard to know what works and what does not, so let me try to separate fact from fiction, or in this case, out and out lies.

The Truth about Weight Loss Supplements: The fact is that there is no supplement or drug on the market that magically burns fat. All products— even the good ones— require  healthy nutrition and exercise to get results. And, the bad ones, while they may decrease appetite, usually have bad side effects and can be downright dangerous for your health. Think about it; given that obesity is responsible for millions of dollars of wasted health care, and kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, if there was a “miracle” pill- wouldn’t we all know about it?  Withholding that kind of info would be like withholding chemotherapy for cancer patients- unethical.

Weight Loss Supplements to Avoid: To be specific, avoid all weight loss supplements with stimulants like guarana, ma huang, ephedra (which is actually illegal now) and even excess caffeine. These drugs try to elevate metabolism- but an elevated metabolism also means elevated blood pressure and heart rate, which could cause serious medical conditions. Caffeine has been shown to increase endurance, and may help increase energy temporarily for exercise, but overuse of caffeine has more side effects than benefits. However, green tea extract has been shown by research to elevate metabolism without negative side effects, so this is something to try.

Which Weight Loss Supplements Are Useful: Protein powders/shakes can be useful for people doing heavy weight training. They provide the nutrients necessary to rebuild muscles. But again, there is no magic to these shakes. Creatine is a form of protein that is used in energy metabolism. Creatine has been shown to be safe when taken as directed. The extra Creatine enables the user to lift heavier weights, which in the long run, produces more fat loss and more muscle gain. Side effects of Creatine are water weight retention- not my goal in life- but for those who are trying to add a lot of muscle, this is an option.

Alli, a former prescription drug which is now over the counter, is currently being investigated as a cause of liver damage. Be careful!

Again, even Alli does not work unless you follow  diet and exercise suggestions exactly. Side effects- don’t ask!

So- what do I recommend? A whole food supplement, or if that is not available, a vitamin supplement. Extra protein if you are lifting heavy weights, and lots of water throughout the day. Green tea can be used to elevate the metabolism without nasty side effects, so that is worth a try. Otherwise- get moving, eat well, get rid of junk food and processed foods.

Kathy Ekdahl, ACE cPT, CSCS, is a nationally certified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach, who lives in Hudson, Mass. Kathy has  worked for over 20 years in the fitness industry, and is the coach of the Hudson High School Women’s Varsity Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams. She will be answering your fitness questions each week in this column, and welcomes your questions. To send a question, email Kathy at: kathy@personalbestpersonaltraining.com.