Michelle Obama's arms hard-won with exercise

Future first lady used to join friend at gym at 4:30 a.m. workouts

By DEANNA BELLANDI

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27804469/wid/11915773?GT1=31037

Many women recoil at the thought of baring their arms in sleeveless dresses or blouses, but not Michelle Obama — half of the fabulously fit new first couple.
Both President-elect Barack Obama and the future first lady have exercise routines that would put most people to shame. Michelle Obama used to join a friend for 4:30 a.m. workouts, and Barack Obama usually starts his day in the gym.
Michelle Obama has been interviewed on television, graced the cover of Newsweek and hit the campaign trail, all with her buff arms bared.

"One of the things I always talk about is got to exercise," the 44-year-old mother of two told an overwhelmingly female crowd at a campaign event last year in Chicago.
That's sure to continue when the Obamas and their girls — 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha — move into the White House, which has plenty of places for them to stay active.
Fitness is a tradition for residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. President George W. Bush is an avid mountain biker, former President Bill Clinton jogged around Washington and former President George H.W. Bush liked to golf and jog, play tennis and pitch horseshoes.
"Most of my workouts have to come before my day starts," Barack Obama, 47, told Men's Health magazine in an interview for its November issue. "There's always a trade-off between sleep and working out. Usually I get in about 45 minutes, six days a week. I'll lift one day, do cardio the next."
His preference, he said, would be to work out for 90 minutes.
On the campaign trail, even during the busiest periods, Obama made it a priority to start the day with a workout. That often meant a small motorcade of Secret Service agents and reporters following him to a local gym.
A German newspaper took advantage of this habit by stationing a reporter at a gym Obama might use during his European trip during the summer. The reporter, posing as just another person working out, got her picture taken with Obama and wrote a breathless story about how fit and handsome he was.
The president-elect has said his favorite fitness activity is basketball, and the game became a kind of campaign ritual. He got in the habit of shooting hoops with friends on the days of primary elections, and that carried over to such major events as his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention and Election Day.
'He's in terrific shape'"He's very good, he knows how to play, he understands the game and he's in terrific shape," said Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a friend who played professionally in Greece and frequently joins Obama on the court.
At the White House, the president-elect can get his basketball fix by shooting hoops on its outdoor court, but he has joked about replacing the bowling alley with an indoor basketball court.
Obama calls himself skinny, but he looks in top shape. A photo of him bare-chested at the beach — something he has called "embarrassing" — made the rounds of celebrity magazines last year.
Michelle Obama is equally devoted to her fitness routine, telling People magazine this summer that she manages a 90-minute workout three times a week.

Friend Sandy Matthews, who used to work out with her at 4:30 a.m., said the future first lady is a fan of cross-training, a mix of strength and cardio exercises usually involving weights, the treadmill, the stair-stepper or a spin bike.
Obama is competitive in her workouts, pushing herself to get the most out of her time in the gym, Matthews said. But it's not only about keeping in shape.
"It's your time. I think every woman has to find their space and their time during the course of a day, especially a working mom," Matthews said.

Do Pretty People Earn More?

Looks Do Matter at Work

By CareerBuilder.com

You know the woman -- the one who could wear a paper bag to a board meeting and still manage to look both beautiful and perfectly professional. As if it weren't annoying enough that she maintains her obnoxiously flat abs by lifting doughnuts to her mouth, it turns out your gorgeous co-worker may also be out-earning her less genetically-blessed colleagues.

Good looks can have a real impact on workers' bank accounts, according to research by Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle published in the Journal of Labor Economics. Attractive people earn about 5 percent more in hourly pay than their average-looking colleagues, who in turn earn 9 percent more per hour than the plainest-looking workers. This means if an average-looking person earned $40,000, their prettiest co-workers would make $42,000 while their least attractive colleagues brought home just $36,400. Plain-looking workers may also receive fewer promotions than those awarded to their more striking contemporaries.

Steven D. Spitz, D.M.D. and owner of cosmetic dentistry firm Smile Boston, said he once had a client who wanted his assistant to get veneers, and was even willing to pay for the dental work -- as long as the assistant asked for it. "He said this was a woman who was really good at her job and he was moving up (within the organization), but he couldn't take her with him because her teeth were so bad," Spitz said. The assistant never came in for the dental work, and Spitz said he didn't know what became of her career.

Are pretty people just more talented?

It remains uncertain whether the handsomest people translate their good looks into higher productivity, but students do consistently give better-looking professors higher evaluations than they give their less comely teachers, according to research by Hamermesh and Amy Parker at the University of Texas in Austin. Still, many experts warn against assigning too much value to beauty in the workplace, arguing that even if your good looks do get you in the door, they may not get you much farther.

"A person can be breathtaking in person and destroy that within the first five minutes by acting in a way that seems superior or behaving in a way that is lewd or provocative," said Francie Dalton, President of Dalton Alliances Inc., a consulting practice providing executive coaching to C-level clients. "Although I very firmly believe that looks are the first thing one notices, I am not convinced that looks trump things like competencies, interpersonal skills and other factors," she said.

Richard St. John, author of "Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky, and RICH," says he's so unconvinced of the connection between good looks and competence, he often chooses to hire the "visual underdog." "I'm not saying looks won't help you be successful at getting a date," St. John said. "I'm saying looks won't help you be successful in other areas of life."

Unfair, but legal

Unlike religion, national origin or disability, discrimination based on looks is legal in most jurisdictions, said James McDonald, Jr., managing partner of the Irvine office of employment law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP. Washington, D.C. and Santa Cruz, Calif. are two of the only municipalities with laws explicitly protecting workers against discrimination based on physical characteristics or personal appearance, he said. Still, that hasn't stopped workers from launching unsuccessful lawsuits.

Fortunately, there's -- literally -- more to attractiveness than meets the eye. Researchers Markus Mobius and Tanya Rosenblat found that confidence makes up 20 percent of perceived attractiveness. To ensure the image you're portraying is a confident one, be sure your posture doesn't betray your nervousness. Keep your back straight, head high and make eye contact with your associates.

The things doctors eat...

If doctors aren't making wise choices about their health, what kind of message are they sending their patients?
by Claudia Kalb
NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Oct 13, 2008

I'm not naive when it comes to doctors' diets. I've seen M.D.s eat cookies in hospital cafeterias and gulp down sodas at medical conferences. One of my doctor friends sneaks corn dogs and fried dough at the beach. But even I was surprised when I sat down to dinner with a couple of physicians one night and watched them order the biggest steak platters on the menu. Here were two guys who presumably recognized the ills of dietary fat and clogged arteries, eating an overly rich, wildly caloric meal. Shouldn't they have known better?

On the whole, America's physicians are healthier than the people they take care of. Twenty-one percent of the population smokes; only 4 percent of docs do. And M.D.s are leaner, too. Forty-four percent of male doctors are overweight and 6 percent are obese, according to Harvard's Physicians' Health Study. The rest of America: 65 and 32 percent, respectively. We can all do better.

But doctors are the people we look to for guidance and advice about our health. If they're not making wise choices, what kind of message are they sending us? Studies show that physicians are more likely to counsel patients about good health habits when they're also following the rules. "You can't look a patient in the eye and talk to them about exercising, diet and weight loss if you yourself aren't a role model," says Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dr. David Eisenberg, director of the Osher Research Center at Harvard Medical School, came up with a novel idea: teach doctors how to create "nutritious, yet delicious" meals so that they can, in turn, teach their patients. With diabetes, heart disease and cancer plaguing this nation, a nutritious diet is "as essential as any prescription drug or surgery," says Eisenberg, who developed a passion for cooking as a child when he spent weekends in his father's bakery. Last month some 300 health-care professionals, most of them physicians, gathered in Napa Valley to attend Eisenberg's brainchild, Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives, a collaboration between Harvard and the Culinary Institute of America. They listened to scientists talk about healthy carbs and phyto-nutrients. They received guidance on the basics—how to hold a knife, how to measure portion size. And they learned how to eat mindfully, savoring flavor, texture and taste.

Dr. Rajani LaRocca attended an earlier session in April and went home inspired. Plenty of LaRocca's patients at a community health center in Charlestown, Mass., want to lose weight, but too often they look for an easy out. "People come in and ask, 'Is there a pill?' " she says. A couple of weeks ago, LaRocca and her colleagues put on a healthy-cooking demonstration for their patients, teaching them that olive and canola oils are "good" fats—something many doctors still don't know, according to a survey of physicians published in Nutrition Journal. "You have to change the basic way you think about food," says LaRocca.

Medical professionals must change the way they think about themselves, too—and early on. Dr. Jo Marie Reilly, of the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, has seen the negative impact that doughnut-eating, sedentary young M.D.s can have on their clinic population. Patients will say, "This doctor is telling me to lose weight and exercise more, but look how he looks," Reilly says. Reilly's first-year med students must fill out a "physician wellness contract" stating their personal health goals. Yohualli Balderas-Medina, 23, committed to running regularly and maintaining close ties with friends and family, which can reduce stress and lead to better health outcomes. She's done both, and says she feels "healthy and motivated." A great beginning for a future doc and her patients.
URL: http://www.newsweek.com/id/162334

Welcome to MY Life...

LIFE - Live it to the fullest, Idolize it as the best, Fruit it with achievements, Enjoy it worth fully

Marriage: "The most successful pitch in life is winning the heart of the significant half"
-Blessed with the most precious gift from God, my husband,Abszra...

Family: "Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter" - Thanks Dad, Mum, In-Laws and Sis...

Career: "The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery" - The more I teach, the more I learn...

Life Motto: "Health is a state of complete spiritual, physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" - Hope we could live a healthy life together with our loved ones...

Moments of Sharing

Hi everyone..just thought of sharing with you about the presence of the term, 'healthy' into my life. Don’t get me wrong…I’m not a health freak. The journey to a healthy living began in my life about one year ago. During this period, a number of incidents concerning health was gradually taking place into my family. For instance, my mum had to undergo several endoscopies in order to get rid off her kidney stones…and my dad has been consulting the doctor regularly to keep his cholesterol level at a safe pace…while my father-in-law has to consume medicines frequently to maintain his sugar level. To top these all…I was always taking medical leaves due to stomachache, viral fever, severe headaches and dehydration…Why? How? What I have to do? These are the typical questions that I would ask the doctors… and the answers would always be the same - eat more vegetables and fruits, drink 8 glasses of water everyday, exercise regularly and cut down your caffeine consumption…Furthermore, my father-in-law would always say this to my husband and I: Eat Moderately and Exercise Consistently to Stay Away From Diseases.

These scenarios have led my husband and I to try out some new activities…we started going to the gym, aerobics, jogging…and we realized that each visit to these places would guarantee us abundance of 'sweat', muscle cramps and most importantly joy, fun and excitement…Eventually, our family began to join us as well and this of course multiplies the joy and happiness. And the best part is when we could see the improvements in ourselves – my parents’ medical reports were showing positive results, my sister, my husband and I started feeling more energetic and active. We also made little changes in our eating habits, especially mum and dad. They started adding more vegetables and fruits into every meal and they have also cut down their coffee, sugar and salt intake. I personally feel the changes have brought prominent and encouraging outcomes in my family, particularly to my parents…

The interesting fact here is, my parents and in-laws started giving ways to the word ‘healthy’ only at their fifties….my husband and I just at our late twenties…finally, my sister at her teens. So, it’s never too late to get started. Let’s get started today!

Spirituality and Health

What is spirituality?
Spirituality is the way you find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in your life. Many people find spirituality through religion. Some find it through music, art or a connection with nature. Others find it in their values and principles.

How is spirituality related to health?
No one really knows for sure how spirituality is related to health. However, it seems the body, mind and spirit are connected. The health of any one of these elements seems to affect the health of the others. Some research shows that things such as positive beliefs, comfort and strength gained from religion, meditation and prayer can contribute to healing and a sense of well-being. Improving your spiritual health may not cure an illness, but it may help you feel better, prevent some health problems and help you cope with illness, stress or death.


How can I improve my spiritual health?
If you want to improve your spiritual health, you may want to try the following ideas. However, remember that everyone is different, so what works for others may not work for you. Do what is comfortable for you.
Identify the things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love and connection.
Set aside time every day to do the things that help you spiritually. These may include doing community service or volunteer work, praying, meditating, singing devotional songs, reading inspirational books, taking nature walks, having quiet time for thinking, doing yoga, playing a sport or attending religious services.


Why does my doctor need to know about my spiritual beliefs?
If you are being treated for an illness, it's important for your doctor to know how your spirituality might be affecting your feelings and thoughts about your medical situation. If you think your spiritual beliefs are affecting your health care decisions or your ability to follow your doctor's recommendations, tell your doctor. If you have spiritual beliefs, worries or concerns that are causing you stress, talk with your doctor. Your doctor would like to help. If your doctor can't help you with these issues, he or she may be able to suggest someone who can.

Adapted from: http://familydoctor.org/

Laughter: the best medicine...