FITNESS NEWS
10 Instant Confidence Boosters

• Create a list of your positive qualities. What are the things that you most like about yourself? Be original and above all, be kind to yourself. Keep your list in a place where you can continue to add to it over time.
• Carve out some you-time to do an activity that you enjoy. Ensuring that you schedule—and follow through with—some quality time alone each day does wonders to boost (and maintain) a healthy self-confidence.
• Exercise. The endorphin release is one of the most natural and effective ways to enhance your mood.
• Compliment others. They feel good, but you are also touched by the acts of your random act of kindness. Saying a positive word elicits personal satisfaction and joy.
• Make your next meal a healthy one. Eating a balanced and nutritious meal will fuel your body and brain and you will feel great about the choice you’ve just made. If you’re generally a healthy eater, allow yourself to fully enjoy your meals by eating with full consciousness.
• Get your hair professionally cut or styled. It may seem like a simple thing, but we all feel an immediate burst of confidence immediately after a great hair cut (color, blow dry, etc.)
• Review your accomplishments over the last two years. Often we forget about the successes we’ve had. Reminding yourself of these is an important strategy for acknowledging your achievements.
• Pay attention to all the great things others have said about you. We are quick to diminish the praise people give us. Think about the last three compliments you received and who gave them to you. If this is a challenge, you may need to pay better attention to the positive things people say about you.
• Practice self-care behaviors. Decide what you have been missing out on and create some welldeserved time to treat yourself. Get a good night’s sleep, book a massage or allow yourself to relax—guilt-free.
• Breathe. Close your eyes and bring your attention into the present moment. Feel your breath come into your body and let it go completely and easily. You don’t have to solve all the world’s problems right now—you just need to breathe and get grounded in your body in order to feel a sense of balance and focus.

Dorthy Ratusny, psychotherapist and author of Live Your Life’s Purpose: A Guidebook for Creating and Living a Purposeful Life (Orpheus Press, 2006)

10 Critical Doctor’s Appointments for Women

Linda Melone, a personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise and the National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends women schedule the following ten doctor’s appointments today. They could save your life. Recommended ages to start testing are listed with each exam and test.

1. Routine physical exam - Age 18 and older, every 1-5 years. “Every woman should have a customized health maintenance routine established with the help of her primary care doctor,” says Dr. Vickie Rackner, a surgeon and clinical faculty member at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
2. Blood Pressure (same time as physical) - Age 18 and older, every 1-5 years.
3. Pap Test (Includes pelvic exam and Chlamydia test) - 3 years after first sexual encounter or Age 21, every 1-3 years depending on the type of test and past results.
4. Mammogram - Age 40, earlier if at high risk, every 1-2 years.
5. Lipid profile (Includes HDL, LDL, CRP and others) - Age 18 if at high risk, every 1-5 years.
6. Skin cancer screening - Age 20- 39, every 3 years, more often if at high risk.
7. Thyroid function test - Age 35, every 5 years.
8. Blood sugar test - Age 45, earlier if at high risk, every 3 years.
9. Eye Exam - Age childhood, yearly.
10. Dental Exam - Age childhood, every 6 months to yearly.