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How Men Misread Signals From Women

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I am going to appeal to the female readers here and ask if any of you have ever discovered a man’s romantic or sexual interest in you completely by accident, and only through an awkward incident in which a man was forced to reveal his ulterior motives? Have you ever heard a man retort, “You’re lying…I can tell you’re into me”, after you made it very clear to him that you were NOT interested? If a woman is nice and friendly, such behavior can be misinterpreted by a red-blooded male to mean that she has the hots for him. Even if she is a bitch to him, he may still rationalize that she is interested and is simply playing hard to get. I always think of Lloyd (played by Jim Carey) in the film “Dumb And Dumber” and how clueless he is when Mary tells him there’s a one in a million chance of the two of them ending up together.

It almost seems pointless for a woman to try to establish a platonic relationship with most men, because the men invariably drift into fantasyland and convince themselves that the woman must somehow harbor romantic feelings, or at the very least, sexual desire for them. And it keeps happening over and over again. I also think that the more attractive a woman is, the more a man’s faulty rationalizations kick in because he is so dazzled by her hotness. The caveman brain is awakened by super hot women, and sadly, they must always deal with this primitive behavior in men.

Someone recently inquired about my relationship status on Facebook the other day. Let me pose this question: If I have not posted a relationship status, what makes anyone think that I am available or looking? Wouldn’t it make sense to assume that my relationship status is no one’s business and that you should not ask? It just feeds into that blind belief that men have that there is an open door. Granted, Facebook has added the asinine “ASK” button on relationship status if it is hidden. What if I don’t want to invite people to inquire? How about that, Facebook?

Speaking of Facebook, since when did that platform become an internet dating site? Even when I spent two years in a committed relationship and publicly posted it, I was hit on left and right by men who seemed to be patrolling the site, looking for hot women to hit on. I used to share such propositions with my boyfriend so that he was aware of the stupidity of many men out there.

Okay fellas, listen up. Please do NOT assume that a woman is into you simply because you are into her and can’t seem to control yourself. There are few things more irritating to a woman than a man making a fool out of himself, then wrongly accusing the woman of being into him when she has given ZERO indication that she has anything more than a platonic interest in him. I realize this will be a hard pill to swallow for men’s egos, but believe me, this advice is golden. If you ARE interested in a lady, let it be clearly known to her, and if she rejects you, don’t adopt a sophomoric defense mechanism and insult her or blame her. Just smile, be nice, and move on!

Breathing Mechanics During Weight Training

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Hamster hulkNow that I have been weight training for over 25 years, I have an intuitive sense of proper breathing mechanics when I lift weights, as many seasoned gym beasts can also attest to. However, those of you who are not as experienced or comfortable around a weight room might not know how to breathe properly.

The basic concept is that you will EXHALE on the exertion phase and INHALE on the relaxation phase of the exercise.

Let’s use the wide grip lat pulldown exercise as an example (which incidentally should be performed so that you bring the bar to your upper chest and NOT behind your back). You will exhale as you pull the bar down, then inhale when you return the bar to the starting position.

Most exercises can be performed using this basic technique, but if you are lifting very heavy weights, or even lifting heavy boxes, you can employ a breathing technique called the Valsalva Maneuver, in which you inhale deeply, then hold your breath while lifting the weight. This increases intra-abdominal pressure and thug confers support to the back. However, if you have high blood pressure, this movement can cause your blood pressure to skyrocket. Other relatively common symptoms which can occur during the Valsalva Maneuver are dizziness and fainting. As an alternative, you can simply contract your abdominals, keeping them tight, and continue to breathe normally during the movement.

Block The Haters

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you are meanIt certainly seems to me that people have been extremely edgy these days, and I keep running into them. I know that a far more evolved response to people who spread negative energy is to approach them with compassion, but my sass level has been amped up lately, largely due to the fact that I am deep in contest prep and dealing with a ton of petty frustrations in my life. So at this point I will just hate the haters, until my level of enlightenment enables me to come from a place of neutrality, because it sure isn’t going to happen ten days before a competition!

Here’s a prime example of the weird and random stuff that has been thrown my way. The other day when a dog suddenly jumped on me and scratched my leg, and I went, “owww!”, the owner decided to get all snippy, saying it wasn’t HER fault the dog jumped on me, and when I said to let it go, she KEPT talking to me, getting literally up in my face, screaming, “No, you don’t understand!” I had to walk away from her nastiness.

Thankfully that incident was isolated, but one day every week I deal with the meanest people on the planet. There is a valet where I need to leave my car when I work at one facility, and it is run by four incredibly rude men who never smile, mumble angry things in Spanish under their breath (which I can UNDERSTAND), and get upset when I ask them for a receipt each time. I know they deal with an upper crust clientele which can be very demanding, but I certainly don’t see the point of being unfriendly to everyone who has to go through the valet there. I drive away with such a sense of relief, knowing I will leave that ugliness behind.

Lately I have also been getting negative energy from a few individuals who have decided to take issue with some of my social media posts. I do not tolerate such energy and always automatically block them, and if they are especially nasty or threatening, I will file an official report of abuse. I realize that I am more susceptible to such contentious people because I have built a name for myself and I put myself out there constantly, but it is not fair to blast me when my posts are primarily meant to inspire my fans and followers and entertain friends. The fact that some people go out of their way to be mean and to spread hate is mind-boggling to me. I begin to wonder what kind of karmic load they are carrying to spread so much negativity.

I am trying to hold onto the idea of a force field of positive energy around me, and hope it will somehow protect me from any further incidents before I step onstage. Perhaps this concept will blossom into compassion at some point, but this is definitely something I need to work on.

What is the best way to defuse hostility? It is always best to refrain from reacting to it. Physically walking away, ignoring hateful statements, employing the blocking feature on social media sites, email, and cell phones, smiling at the person who is being difficult can all work in neutralizing the bad energy.

Incrediwear Is Incredible!

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downloadI have spent the last few days experiencing Incrediwear products, and I am blown away by them! The quality is exceptional and the technology is phenomenal. I give this company and its products my complete and enthusiastic endorsement, both as an athlete and as a physician.

Here is a great description of the technology, taken from the Incrediwear website:

Incrediwear Technology

What are anions?
Anions are negatively charged atoms that, when absorbed by the body, stimulates molecular vibration and circulation.

How does our product work?
When the body warms our unique carbonized charcoal and our carbonized charcoal/germanium products, they release anions.

What does this do for me?
Incredibraces and Incredisocks, due to the release of anions, are constantly therapeutic. Infrared anion technology has been used for years at medical clinics to address vascular and circulatory health, and professional athletes have slept in ionized environments since the 70s. The technology has been used by chiropractors and physical therapists to accelerate recovery—and it’s all thanks to anions.

How fast does it work?
Results have shown that most people who experience muscle or joint discomfort and try an Incredibrace feel a difference in 20 minutes, and sometimes sooner! Incredibraces have helped those with discomfort from sprains, arthritis, inflammation, cramps, and fatigue. Incredibrace wearers have reported a reduction in discomfort and an enhanced range of motion while walking, working, running, biking, dancing, competing in martial arts, lifting weights and even sleeping.

Do the socks work the same way?
Yes. The socks are also made from carbonized charcoal, and some have a mix of germanium in them. As your body heats the sock, it releases the therapeutic anions, resulting in increased circulation. Each garment is laser Doppler studied showing up to 17% increase in blood flow and blood speed. Increase blood flow can result in accelerated performance and recovery!

Is there anything else I should know?
The enhanced circulation results in more oxygen being supplied to local tissues. This, combined with the increase in blood flow, allows your body to regulate your temperature much easier, keeping you cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather, and even warm when the socks get wet! The natural fibers are antimicrobial and odor absorbing.

What does Germanium do?
Organic germanium is the subject of Dr. Asai’s book ‘Miracle Cure – Organic Germanium’—and for good reason. Germanium helps supply oxygen. Dr. Asai mentions that cells which are deficient in oxygen, in order to survive, begin glycolysis and turn anaerobic, meaning they no longer efficiently use oxygen. There are many factors which can lead to a reduced amount of oxygen in the blood including air pollution, food pollution, and the effects of stress. Dr. Asai states that germanium fuels a mechanism called the dehydrogenating reaction, which combines oxygen with hydrogen and supports cellular defenses

Benefits:
Increased blood flow and oxygen
Wick away moisture
Regulate temperature
Reduce swelling
Anti-microbial
Reduce pain
Supports improved range of motion
Accelerate muscle recovery with increase blood flow

Physical Properties:
High comfort 200 thread count (socks) 360 thread count (braces)
One-of-a-kind medical design
Patented technology
Quality 3D weave design
Anion emitting thread (braces)
Carbonized charcoal germanium thread (braces)

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VISIT THE INCREDIWEAR WEBSITE:
http://www.buyincrediwear.com/

How Weekend Drinking Binges Make You Fat

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young-people-in-club-or-bar-drinking-beer-out-of-a-beer-bottle-and-have-funOne of the reasons why people tend to look forward to the weekend so much, besides being away from work, is the ritualistic imbibing of alcohol and consumption of rich foods which many tend to engage in. I have clients who will follow a sensible and healthy meal plan during the week, only to abandon all self-control, put on party hats and eat and drink during the entire weekend.

I will explain to you why this practice is a sure way to keep you from attaining your fitness goals. When you drink large amounts of alcohol, say 3 drinks or more, your body gets a sudden influx of alcohol which puts your body’s metabolism of nutrients to a grinding halt. Why? Because the body cannot store alcohol and must use it immediately as a fuel source. What happens with nutrients is that they are converted to fat and then stored in fat tissue for later use, so alcohol essentially prevents the body from utilizing fat. High consumption of alcohol also impairs the cerebral function (specifically the prefrontal cortex), flattening inhibitions and increasing the appetite. That is why you will often crave greasy foods when you drink, because the body turns to rich foods to replenish nutrients. The combination of increased appetite and behavioral changes are enough to get you to eat a calorie laden, fatty meal which is then stored as fat.

I enjoy the occasional cocktail and as a result will never tell people to avoid drinking altogether. However, I have several recommendations which will minimize the fat deposition which alcohol consumption triggers.

1. Always eat a meal with PROTEIN, FIBER and HEALTHY FAT before you begin drinking to offset the surge in blood sugar which occurs with alcohol connsumption andto slow the absorption of alcohol once it is introduced to the gut.

2. Drink two glasses of water for every drink of alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it will dry you out. Because of this, it is important to maintain a high level of hydration to offset the diuretic effect.

3. Limit consumption to 1 or 2 drinks in an evening. This will keep calorie consumption down.

One Of My Client Transformations…Vegetarian Plan

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This is what happens when you take someone who had great genetics but hasn’t pushed it to the next level, and kick it up many notches to get her stage ready! The pic on the left was from August of last year…my client prepped for a contest in early December, ut circumstances beyond her control prevented her from competing at that time. She regrouped, picked a contest in late May, and I designed a new 12 week prep program, this time incorporating a vegetarian plan.

If you have dietary restrictions, such as certain food allergies or a preference for vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian, no fish, etc., I can accommodate you. My plans are always customized to fit your needs. Please go to http://www.cutcurves.com to view packages and pricing.

Running On Empty – Progesterone And Stress

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Stress meterWe all know that constant stress can play havoc with our health and well being. In this post I will focus on the effects of excessive stress on progesterone levels.

Progesterone is produced in the ovaries, the adrenal glands, and in the placentas of pregnant women. It has a calming effect, is a natural diuretic, regulates menstrual cycles, and prepares the body for conception and pregnancy. Some women can experience excessive levels of progesterone which usually produces symptoms of PMS, but in general, progesterone is a vital and beneficial hormone.

Let’s examine what happens to progesterone if you are under constant and chronic stress. When the body is pummeled with endless stress, the adrenal glands simply cannot keep up with the demand for more cortisol, so they turn to progesterone, converting it into cortisol to make up for the deficit. Eventually, however, not only do cortisol levels plummet, but progesterone levels also drop to precipitously low levels. So that calming, diuretic effect of progesterone falls away, and menstrual cycles become erratic or periods cease altogether. Sounds like fun, huh?

I cam tell you that running on an empty tank of progesterone is no fun at all. You retain water, you get irritable and cranky, and you lose your ability to navigate calmly through stressful situations. If you’re like me and you depend on a regular menstrual cycle as a reassurance that all is right with the world, then living with the mystery of whether or when you might have a period can be maddening. I found out that I actually WANT a period, and I thought I would never feel that way.

Though I had regular periods until very recently, I began retaining water like crazy after attaining IFBB Pro Status last July, and I knew something just wasn’t right. I didn’t feel like I was in my own body, as strange as it sounds. I began flailing, and went through a rebound which was disturbing and unexpected. My emotional barometer was all over the place, and I couldn’t get out of the funk that I was in. Gaining eight pounds (which is considerable for me), most of which was water weight, made me even more depressed.

Another completely irritating set of symptoms which suddenly popped up at the end of January and which persisted every single night is that I would wake up at around 4 a.m., completely drenched in sweat and with a sensation which could best be described as being lit on fire from the inside. I would throw the covers off and quickly disrobe, then rather quickly fall asleep, only to awaken about 30 minutes later, shivering and pulling the covers over me.

The nightmare finally subsided to a great extent once I began replenishing my body with bioidentical progesterone in late February. Though I still retain a bit of water, my weight is back to a reasonable 120 lbs. versus the 125 I had been at in the Fall, my hot and cold episodes have subsided, i feel much calmer and I feel more like myself.

Had I removed the stressors that I had some control over, I am firmly convinced I would not have bottomed out with my progesterone levels like I did. Even if I had engaged in meditation more regularly a couple of years ago, I think I could have saved my progesterone levels from bottoming out. Trust me when I say that progesterone depletion can be incredibly disruptive and upsetting. And don’t think for a second that this is only a problem which women past the age of 45 deal with. I have come across female patients as young as 32 who had almost no progesterone in their lab tests.

If you do one thing to improve your health, please reduce your stress! You can do this by removing the stressors that you have some control over, practice breathing exercises, tai chi, yoga, and meditation, enjoy time with friends, loved ones and pets more often, and let go of anxiety and worry.

After Bad Comes Good

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I have heard my mother and my aunts and uncles share stories about my grandmother, whom they all adored. They have all spoken of her unflagging kindness and compassion, and of her wisdom. One thing she was prone to saying frequently in Japanese was, “Don’t worry, after bad comes good.” For those of you who are curious about this quote in Japanese, here it is: “Shinpai shinai de. Subete umaku iku ne.” This statement can also be translated to English as, “Don’t worry, everything will be all right.”, but everyone in the family insists on “Don’t worry, after bad comes good.” as the unwavering message my grandmother was known for. She truly felt that good things ALWAYS followed bad things.
Buddha Kumamoto
I find this quote from my frail, tiny (4’8″) Japanese grandmother, who incidentally bore FIFTEEN children and lived through countless hardships and poverty before dying of cancer at the age of 63, to be incredibly wise and reassuring. Whenever someone in the family was concerned about a troubling event, my grandmother would utter this statement and smile.

It seems to me that my grandmother’s sense of calm and joy about the world and her ability to enjoy the simplest things despite living without many creature comforts made her more aware than most, and thus more spiritually enlightened. It is probably part of the reason why her journey on this planet did not last very long. Sadly, she passed away before I was born, so I never had a chance to meet this remarkable woman. My mother tells me that I have my grandmother’s eyes, and I can see that when I look at photos of her. Though she was full-blooded Japanese, she had large, round eyes with the telltale Asian skinfold called the epicanthic fold which I also have.

I try to remember that with every challenging or stressful situation, that it too will pass.

Invasix Body Fx Treatments…If You Are Lean, Beware!

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BodyFxI have a problem area which is constantly being tortured in an effort to to correct the issue, namely, mild but stubborn cellulite on my hamstring area. In the past I have tried Exilis treatments, and I always make sure to do infrared body wraps before I compete to minimize the appearance of cellulite in this region. However, the results of both of these procedures are temporary, and consequently I am always on the hunt for something more effective.

Enter BodyFx by Invasix, which is a radio-frequency and vacuum device which allegedly targets fat cells while also tightening the dermis and causing collagen contracture. The promise of less fat along with tighter skin seemed too good to be true, but I was willing to try this technology 1) because I am a physician who specializes in aesthetic medicine, 2) I will be stepping onstage very soon, and 3) I HATE the dimpling on the backs of my thighs.

I was told that the treatment, which combines focused radio-frequency energy, deep tissue heating, and suction coupled negative pressure, would be uncomfortable, but MAN OH MAN! Between the intense someone-is-lighting-me-on-fire heat and the intermittent zapping sensation I experienced at the end of some of the pulses, I was in agony. I am a tough cookie with a high pain threshold too, which should tell you a lot. The procedure was so painful that I was yelling obscenities and grabbing onto the treatment table, getting a great chest workout as I wrestled it like it was an enormous squeeze ball. I know that my body fat is at around 14% right now, that I have very little storage fat on the backs of my legs, and that the leaner a patient is, the more painful the BodyFx treatment tends to be.

Here’s a YouTube video which describes the technology:

I find it amazing that the patient featured in this video only reported mild heat sensation, so I am guessing that she has significantly more body fat than I do. Truth be told, my procedure hurt like the dickens. I had to endure ten minutes on each thigh, with more distal and lateral aspects of my posterior thigh being the most intensely painful areas. It was no picnic!

BodyFx treatments must be performed weekly for an 8 week treatment period, which means that I must endure SEVEN more weekly sessions to see optimal results. A one treatment maintenance every 6 months is also part of the treatment protocol. Oh goodie. I am honestly dreading the pain I will be experiencing later this week when I go in for my second BodyFx treatment. But you know what? If it truly works, all the pain will be worth it.