Are you looking around and seeing a lot of red?

But then you think “Oh, it’s Friday. People are getting excited for the weekend.” Considering the snow event we just had, it makes a little sense that people want a little fun.

Rhinestone Dress Brooch ($29.00); picture from http://www.shop.heart.com

Another good look tells you it is mostly women wearing red. Those women who are not wearing red are wearing cute little dress pins.

What’s going on?

Well, it is the big “Go Red” day sponsored by the American Heart Association.

It is an effort to make women more aware that they need to take care of their heart health. I am more than aware of this issue because my paternal grandmother had her first heart attack at the age of 40. Plus, her husband’s family had a history of diabetes that also affects heart health.

The scary thing was checking out the website on the page about understanding your risks. Women make about 60% of the deaths from strokes. Just being post-menopause puts you at greater risk. And women tend to have slightly different symptoms during a heart attack than men and get their health concerns pushed aside.

However, the American Heart Association encourages people to get on the treadmill, start an exercise routine or find a way to be active. Work on a diet that has heart healthy foods with a calorie count no lower that 1200 calories per day.

Then they throw out that great little fact that 1-2 pounds per week is what healthy weight loss looks like and not 20 pounds in two weeks.

For those of us who promised ourselves to move more and eat less, to finally lose those nagging pound it is a great reminder to get back on that goal. I don’t know about you but I have been battling and fighting. My tummy measurement is under (just under but I will take it) 42 inches.

Picture by solrac gi 2nd

Like everything else, it is tough. I love eating sweets and bread. My  coffee must have creamer in it and I like the sweetened variety. But I also like fruit and vegetables. The husband and I are making the effort to eat more salads at dinner time. I am trying to stay on my big liquid intake.

The point I am trying to make is that this kind of weight loss does not happen over night and those of us working on it need all of the encouragement we can get. 

If that means going red for one day, I am doing it.

How do you work on heart health?

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