Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - North Mississippi - (Page 30)

Bullock is proving that even with some bumps in the road, the good life doesn’t have to end at 40. (And neither do health nor beauty.) In fact, the Academy Award winner told InStyle magazine in 2009 that “everything” is better after 40. “I wouldn’t go backward if you paid me,” she said. Bullock’s example of loving life and embracing her age can show us the keys to happiness, health and success at 40 and beyond. 46, At Staying youthful and healthy starts with a body that doesn’t just function—it moves. Bullock’s toned physique isn’t the result of fads or cosmetic surgery. It’s the reward for hard work. “I do Pilates, kickboxing, weight training,” Bullock said in InStyle. “When I’m in Austin, I run or ride a bike. If I can work out every day, I will.” Exercise is key to maintaining a healthy weight, and it also lowers your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and other deadly conditions. That’s why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 do at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. You can work out less—one hour and 15 minutes a week—if the activity is vigorous. In addition, the agency advises adults to perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. Minkin says she sees women in their 40s who are in great shape—and 20-year-olds who aren’t. You have to make time for yourself at any age, she says. As her patients get older, she hears more excuses that they just can’t exercise. “I don’t buy that. I’m 58,” Minkin says. “I work out 60 to 75 minutes, six times a week.” 40 AND FERTILITY The big 4-0 is a major milestone, and to many women it signals a looming deadline. Many women believe they have to achieve everything they want—an amazing relationship, kids, career and body—by that point. But if Bullock’s youthfulness and ﬁt appearance are any indication, there’s little reason to slow down at 40—or heck, even 50. Thanks to Bullock’s trendsetting generation, views of age are changing, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., author of A Woman’s Guide to Menopause and Perimenopause and medical advisor to the Red Hot Mamas, a support group for women going through perimenopause. But, she says, there is one true physical consideration. “Unfortunately, 40 is a milestone as far as reproduction goes,” Minkin says. “I don’t see us getting around that in the very near future.” Although she notes that women can have children after 40 (and adoption is an option, as Bullock has shown), they are born with all the eggs they’re going to have. As women get older, with fewer and fewer eggs left, their chances of getting pregnant diminish. Otherwise, 40 really is just a number, Minkin says. There are plenty of reasons to be healthy and happy and to celebrate your life. KEY NO. 1: EXERCISE 30 Vim & Vigor · SP R I N G 2 011 PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIME FOTO

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - North Mississippi
Table of Contents
Opening Thoughts
Pump It Up
Heart of the Matter
Every Minute Counts
A Workout for Every Mood
Don’t Fail Your Heart
If Your Bones Could Talk
Healthy Travels
Over 40 and Fabulous
Do-It-Yourself Health?
Fighting Words
Balancing Act
Giving & Getting
Brighten Up
Welcome Aboard
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2011 - North Mississippi