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"As we celebrate three decades of SilverSneakers, we're particularly eager to recognize our amazing instructors who directly impact the lives of members every day," said Richard Ashworth, president and CEO of Tivity Health. "Throughout the last two years, our instructors have risen to the challenge of the pandemic and adapted to a wide range of teaching formats while continuously showing up for members and inspiring them to live their healthiest lives. Our instructors are true coaches, friends and role models for SilverSneakers members."

The 2022 Instructor of the Year awards recognize the entire family of SilverSneakers instructors including in-person and FLEX Community Fitness instructors. The winner and four finalists will be highlighted on the Instructor of the Year website, and the winner will be featured in our 30th anniversary celebration taking place later this year. The call for nominations willbe open today through April 1, and nominations can be submitted through silversneakers.com/instructorawards. Nominations are open from all peers, class members, fitness location staff and instructors. A SilverSneakers committee will review nominations and the winner and finalists will be announced at the end of May.

Currently, more than 18 million Americans are eligible for SilverSneakers at no additional cost through Medicare Advantage, group retiree, and Medicare Supplement plans. SilverSneakers encourages members to participate in health and fitness programs through a wide variety of offerings that include strength training, aerobic workouts, and flexibility exercises designed specifically for a Medicare eligible population.

SilverSneakers is continuing to expand fitness and well-being opportunities for members in 2022 with thousands of instructor-led classes each month. Eligible members also have access to over 23,000 fitness locations nationwide and can use their membership for access to multiple locations. In addition, eligible members in participating health plans can experience social engagement and mental enrichment offerings through innovative partnerships with GetSetUp, a virtual learning platform, and Stitch, an in-person and online social community for seniors, allowing older adults to connect virtually and in person.

Membership in SilverSneakers and classes led by instructors who are specially trained in older adult fitness can also help older adults get active many for the first time in their lives. According to the 2021 SilverSneakers annual member survey, thirty-four percent of participants report SilverSneakers is their first fitness membership, and 28% are new to regular exercise when joining the program. 88% of members report that SilverSneakers has improved their quality of life, demonstrating that the impact of the program is physical, emotional, and social. To check eligibility, visit silversneakers.com.

About SilverSneakers

SilverSneakers, by Tivity Health, is the nation's leading community fitness program for Medicare eligible Americans. The program was founded in 1992 and is available to about 18 million Americans through many Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare Supplement carriers, and group retiree plans. For more information, to check eligibility or to enroll in the program or sign up for a SilverSneakers newsletter, go to silversneakers.com.

About Tivity Health

Tivity Health Inc. (Nasdaq: TVTY) is a leading provider of healthy life-changing solutions, including SilverSneakers, Prime Fitness and WholeHealth Living. We help adults improve their health and support them on life's journey by providing access to in-person and virtual physical activity, social, and mental enrichment programs, as well as a full suite of physical medicine and integrative health services. We continue to enhance the way we direct members along their journey to better health by delivering an insights-driven, personalized, interactive experience. Our suite of services support health plans nationwide as they seek to reduce costs and improve health outcomes. At Tivity Health, we deliver the resources members need to live healthier, happier, more connected lives. Learn more at http://www.tivityhealth.com.

Contact:Debbie JacobsonTivity Health(480) 444-5204[emailprotected]

SOURCE Tivity Health

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SilverSneakers Opens Nominations for 2022 Instructor of the Year - PR Newswire

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Submitted by Kendra Sanders

WACO, Texas In each new year, gym memberships spike and losing weight tops many lists of New Years Resolutions. An article published by the National Institutes of Health, however, shows that the benefits of exercise go far beyond the scale. The study authors explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activities, based on information published between 2019 and 2021. They found that maintaining regular exercise is effective and engaging in alternative modes of physical activity is a key strategy to maintain mental health and well-being.

Its important for women to understand that the social isolation measures implemented to reduce the rapid spread of the COVID-19 may have led to an increase not only in body weight but in stress and anxiety as well, says Krishea Holloway, Curves president and CEO. The good news is that regular exercise can improve the tone of both your body and your mind; and sharing that positive experience with other women in one of our gyms or virtually through our MyCurves On Demand online program is motivating and empowering.

With multiple studies citing the concern that people experienced a general decline in well-being, deterioration in mental health, and an increase in psychological distress such as stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions, the authors reached their conclusions by investigating three central arguments:

First, physical exercises during COVID-19, especially supervised exercises, are conducive to enhancing happiness and improving mental health.

Second, physical exercise reduces peoples anxiety, sadness, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Third, the maintenance and improvement of mental health are related to the intensity and frequency of physical exercise.

The authors findings that physical activity is helpful in promoting mental health dont surprise us, said Holloway. At Curves, we have always focused on strengthening women inside and out with a regular exercise program, offering members options that range from woman-centric health, wellness, and nutrition programs to 30-minute specialized workouts that focus on womens health essentials like cardio fitness, boxing, and balance. Our effective 30-minute full-body workout allows women to carve out a time for themselves when they can focus on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and share that experience with a community of other women. Its a unique approach that promotes physical, emotional, and social health.

To learn more about Curves full-body 30-minute circuit training approach to fitness in the gym and the MyCurves on Demand at-home workout, please visit http://www.Curves.com

ABOUT CURVES: For 30 years, Curves has been a leader in womens fitness, helping millions of wom en get stronger and healthier. Curves mission is to strengthen women by providing fun, fast, and safe programs to help women reach their health and fitness goals. Curves is one of the largest chains of fitness clubs for women in the world, famous for its 30-minute circuit with a coach that works every major muscle group with strength training, cardio and stretching.

Curves Specialty Classes/Circuits focus on providing strength, balance, and flexibility through categories like Balance, Body Basics, Cardio, and Boxing. The Curves Nutrition & Weight Management Program promotes balanced and sustainable nutrition education designed to help decrease body fat, increase lean muscle mass, and improve metabolism when followed with the Curves workout.

MyCurves On Demand brings the Curves trusted 30-minute workout to your own home. Led by real Curves coaches and developed by Curves program experts, MyCurves On Demand is accessible anytime, anywhere on your favorite smart device. MyCurves On Demand + Group Coaching combines the support and accountability of a Curves Coach with the virtual online community of like-minded women.

The Curves Health & Wellness Education Series provides members with education on important health topics impacting women of all ages, so they can make improvements for their own health and wellbeing. For more information on any of Curves program offerings, please visit http://www.curves.com. For franchising information visit https://www.curves.com/team/buy-curves

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Physical Exercise and Mental Health the Mind-Body Connection Mountaineer Echo - The Mountaineer Echo

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When you think of the library, words like running or fitness may not immediately enter your mind, but perhaps they should. After all, for 57 years our beautiful building was also home to a popular gymnasium not to mention the bowling alley! The gymnasium was closed in 1952 when the YMCA was built, but were still interested in finding new ways to encourage health and wellness through library resources and programs. This brings me to the Westerly Library and Wilcox Park Run Club, which is about to start up for its third year.

If the mere mention of the word run gives you heart palpitations, hear me out! The club is meant for beginners, and inspired by the immensely popular Couch to 5k (C25K) exercise plan that was developed in 1996 by Josh Clark. As the name suggests, the plan helps participants go from self-identifying couch potatoes to 5k distance runners in a couple of months and it has been very successful doing just that. Clarks plan requires just three workouts a week for eight weeks. During each workout, participants alternate between running and walking, slowly building stamina and increasing the time spent running while decreasing the walking periods. In no time at all, you find yourself running a full mile straight and then two, and then three!

The C25K plan on its own is great, but starting (and maintaining) a new exercise regime by yourself can be hard. Heres where the library Run Club comes in! Members will start the plan together and meet once a week for group runs, during which we motivate one another, hold each other accountable, and yes do plenty of commiserating together, too. We meet every Monday in April and May from 4-4:45 p.m. at the fountain in Wilcox Park for our run, which also takes place in the lovely park. There is no registration required, no fee for participating, and no previous running experience necessary. All you have to do it show up in comfortable clothes/sneakers, and we can get started.

If you want to know more, Ill be holding a brief information session via Zoom on March 25, or you can contact me at cskobrak@westerlylibrary.org. I hope youll join me for our first group run on April 4, where Im happy to share some running tips and tricks, act as cheerleader, and talk ad nauseam about food, cats, or the various running-related materials here at the library anything to distract you from the actual act of running and get you to the finish line. Im here for you!

Top Requested Books

Top Requested DVDs

This Week at the Library

MONDAY 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Crafternoon To-Go This month, were making beautiful button art! Pick up your kit in Reference while supplies last; 6-7:30 p.m., Monday Movie Night Join us once a month in the auditorium for a free movie screening! This month, were showing an Oscar nominated film starring Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, and Jamie Dornan. No registration is required.

TUESDAY 10-10:30 a.m., Family Storytime Join us on Tuesdays in the Terrace Room for a family storytime! The program will be geared towards ages birth through 11 years when accompanied by a caregiver; 1-4 p.m., Community Resource Advocate Our volunteer Community Resource Advocate is available via email to help connect you with local services/resources. Contact her at advocate@westerlylibrary.org; 2-3:30 p.m., Virtual Tech Social We meet on Zoom every Tuesday to address your tech questions. Preregistration is required; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Knit and Crochet Club The Knit and Crochet Group is meeting on the 2nd floor of the library. Masks are highly recommended; 6-7:30 p.m., Active Bystander Training Join Managing Partner of Organizational Ignition, James McKim, for an interactive training that will give you the tools to help you respond effectively when you witness bullying or discrimination. This is a hybrid program, which you can participate in online via Zoom, or in person in the library auditorium. Please register online at http://www.westerlylibrary.org.

WEDNESDAY 6-7 p.m., Community Book Discussion | The Sum of Us Join the Westerly Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC) and Westerly Library & Wilcox Park on Zoom as we discuss The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee. Copies of the book will be on hold at the circulation desk. Register at http://www.westerlylibary.org..

THURSDAY 4-4:30 p.m., Teen Book Club Join our Teen Book Club to chat about a book you are currently reading, and get recommendations from fellow teens on what to read next! Please email teens@westerlylibrary.org at least one day in advance to register; 5:30-6:30 p.m., Zumba in the Park and Library | Turn It Up and Tone - Please join us for a free Zumba class with Yvonne Brown and Tina Pagliusi; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Chess Club Want a chance to hone your skills against a variety of players, including two state champions? Drop by the librarys Old Main Reading Room for our weekly Chess Club. Players of all skill levels are welcome; 6-7 p.m., Health and Wellness Book Group Join us on Zoom for our newest book club! This month, were discussing 52 Small Changes for the Mind by Brett Blumenthal. Email cbadowski@westerlylibrary.org for meeting details.

FRIDAY 4-5 p.m., Couch to 5k Run Club: Information Session Our Couch to 5k Run Club is starting up for the 3rd year on April 4th! Join us for a brief information session on Zoom, which should answer any questions you have. Registration is required, and can be done at http://www.westerlylibrary.org.

SATURDAY 10:30-11:30 a.m., Zumba in the Park and Library Try out Zumba for a fun workout! Classes are FREE and will be held on the grassy area near the gazebo (weather permitting) or in the 3rd floor Terrace Room (in undesirable weather).

Cassie Skobrak is a reference librarian at the Westerly Library & Wilcox Park.

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At Westerly Library & Wilcox Park: Kickstart your fitness with the Run Club - The Westerly Sun

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SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Beachbody Company, Inc. (NYSE: BODY), ("Beachbody" or the "Company"), a leading subscription health and wellness company, today announced the launch of its much anticipated new nutrition and at-home fitness program developed by celebrated Beachbody Super Trainer, Nutrition Expert and best-selling author Autumn Calabrese, The 4 Week Gut Protocol and its companion fitness program 4 Weeks For Every Body.

And users are already calling it one of Beachbodys biggest innovations in its 23-year history, like returning your body to its original factory settings.

It was revolutionary to come up with an idea like P90X or 21 Day Fix and redefine the in-home fitness industry, said Carl Daikeler, Beachbody CEO and Co-Founder. Its something entirely different when one of our own Super Trainers confides with us about her very personal gut health issues and reveals that she has created a solution with a team of doctors and nutritionists that she wants Beachbody to introduce to the rest of the world. Thats something thats going to inspire and help improve the health of millions of people.

Gut health is a hot topic right now. In the US, a staggering 60 million people suffer from digestive issues or food sensitivities. Unaddressed food sensitivities can not only interfere with digestion, but also your energy levels, immune system, skin health and mood. Experts are realizing the quality of your gut health impacts the quality of your life.

I was struggling with severe digestive issues, gas, bloating, and dark moods I just couldnt explain. When I couldnt get clarity from my own doctor on my issues, I had to find answers and do something about it. Thats how Im wired, said Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody Super Trainer. I worked with doctors, experts, and PhDs on the issues I was dealing with and everything pointed to one thing my gut health. I spent years working with the best in the business until I had created a solution that finally made me feel better. Once I did, I invited other people to try it, and the results were amazing. Our gut protocol worked! Thats when I approached Beachbody and said this was going to be big, if we make it really easy to follow. And by combining it with a no-impact fitness program, Shakeology, probiotics and digestive enzymes, it would be everything people needed to help them get results.

Autumn worked with Beachbody to put it all together; The 4 Week Gut Protocol nutrition program, plus Vegan Shakeology formulated with prebiotics/probiotics and fiber all designed for gut health, plus an additional layer of probiotic and digestive enzyme supplements. She combined that with her fourteenth fitness program for Beachbody, 4 Weeks for Every Body.

This no-impact workout program was created with the latest studies showing the benefits of moderate exercise on gut health. The program is 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week for 4 weeks and offers modifications for each exercise to accommodate your individual range of motion and fitness level leveraging the powerful benefits of eccentric movement patterns and Autumns time under tension methodology to help maximize results.

The 4 Week Gut Protocol'' program helps transform your health through a step-by-step approach to nutrition, isolating the most common foods and ingredients that can cause gastric distress, and ultimately teaching you how to eat in a way that supports a healthy gut and helps rebalance its microbiome.

This combination of nutrition and fitness has been thoroughly tested by hundreds of women and men, some even reporting feeling better from day one and many seeing dramatic results within the first week. And the overall health, wellness, and weight loss results in 4 weeks are impressive.

The 4 Week Gut Protocol and 4 Weeks for Every Body programs are now available at special launch pricing exclusively from Beachbody. Visit 4weekgutprotocol.com to learn more.

About The Beachbody Company, Inc.

Headquartered in Southern California, The Beachbody Company is a worldwide leading digital fitness and nutrition subscription company, with over two decades of creating innovative content and powerful brands. The Beachbody Company is the parent company to the Beachbody On Demand streaming platform (BOD) with over 100 complete fitness programs, 4,500 individual workouts, multiple nutrition programs and the connected Beachbody Bike by MYXfitness. For more information, please visit TheBeachbodyCompany.com.

About Autumn Calabrese

Beachbody Super Trainer and nutrition expert Autumn Calabrese is the creator of the breakthrough fitness programs 9 Week Control Freak, 21 Day Fix, 80 Day Obsession, and others, and the portion-control weight-loss system Portion Fix, which has helped millions of people gain control of their food. Shes also the author of three bestselling books, FIXATE, FIXATE 2, and Lose Weight Like Crazy, Even If You Have a Crazy Life! Shes the host of the FIXATE healthy cooking show with her brother, Bobby Calabrese, on Beachbody On Demand. Autumn is a certified holistic health coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and has held certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), as well as the American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA).

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Beachbody Breaks New Ground in GUT HEALTH Mega-Trend With New Program from Autumn Calabrese, Super Trainer, Nutrition Expert and Best-Selling Author -...

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Four weeks before France votes in the first round of its presidential election, the campaign thus far has hardly been distinguished by the depth or precision of candidates programs. In this regard, Jean-Luc Mlenchon knows that he has a definite advantage and logically enough, hes emphasizing that this is the real battleground.

On Saturday, he organized an exercise in costing his program, a three-hour broadcast that could have been much longer. Each of the 694 measures in his program was individually costed, using a macroeconomic model to try to measure the impact of these measures on the economy and wealth distribution.

The show was clearly intended to establish the programs overall credibility. Several economists members of the parliament set up by the Union Populaire backing Mlenchons candidacy joined in the exercise, each in their own field. Decisively, the figures were calculated using the Banque de France modeling which Mlenchon considers most unfavorable to his agenda.

The message was clear: the point was to foreground competence and play up the campaigns financial seriousness. The term prudence was repeatedly mentioned, including when the costs spared by the proposed policies were not factored into the final calculations.

The purpose of such an exercise is understandable: to draw on your opponents weapons to emphasize your own programs credibility and foil the habitual accusations of unrealism and utopianism. Doubtless, the projections themselves can always be challenged, but this does allow for a contest on an equal footing with other programs, notably the neoliberals own. This changes the nature of economic-policy disputes, which become mainly about the philosophy behind the policy rather than the credibility of the program.

Such a costing exercise is not new to Mlenchon; there was a previous one in 2017. But the rationale behind it was quite different, this time around. After Emmanuel Macrons first term saw an economic rescue plan amounting to 240 billion (much more if we also include social security spending) in two years, added to a 100 billion recovery plan and massive central bank buyback policies, the traditional argument against left-wing programs the famous accusation of relying on a magic money tree no longer holds water.

As Aurlie Trouv, an economist who joined Mlenchons campaign, pointed out during the presentation, the scale of additional public spending 250 billion annually represents an overall increase of 18 percent over the next presidents five-year term compared to 2019. This is in between what Nicolas Sarkozy achieved (+15 percent) and what Joe Biden is committing to in the United States (+27 percent); what she called an ambitious but reasonable program.

Moreover, in terms of its historical rationality, we can say that this program takes note of the decay of neoliberal reality, which the various right-wing and far-right candidates refuse to accept, instead proposing a continuation of the methods of the past (tax cuts for capital or reforms to slash the pensions bill).

While market adjustments are showing their limits and are only viable with massive state support the Union Populaire program underpinning Mlenchons candidacy acknowledges this historical reversal and sees it as a justification for stronger action by the state.

This is all the truer given that its proposals are based on the needs left unmet by the policy course pursued for several decades. This explains the relevance of the programs slogan governing according to need. Identifying where public policies fall short of serving the general interest ensures that citizens really feel the effects of this policy. This would reduce the wastage repeatedly observed in so-called supply-side policies, such as the CICE (tax credits for employers) or even COVID aid.

In 2017, Macron could base his neoliberal reform agenda on a certain world order to which France had too long refused to submit. Five years later, this order has been shattered, and continues to fragment. The argument of neoliberal rationality can thus no longer be advanced. Mlenchon is trying to take advantage of this failure, presenting a program that is financially sustainable, but based on a demand-side policy. In other words, it seeks to break with the logic of trickle down.

The logic upheld by this program is clearly post-Keynesian, or left-Keynesian. The prevailing idea is that the economy can only prosper based on what consumers and businesses spend. As Mlenchon pointed out, public spending is not water absorbed by the sand, for it feeds the economic circuit and creates economic activity. In this framing, it is spending that creates savings, not the other way round. As one of the greatest (and forgotten) representatives of the post-Keynesian school, Micha Kaleckiargued, capitalists earn what they spend. This is the major difference with right-wing Keynesians (or neo-Keynesians) for whom supply creates demand and savings create investment. The states function is only to facilitate adjustments. The programs intellectual approach is thus in direct opposition to neoliberal logic.

The cornerstone of this calculation is the Keynesian multiplier, meaning, the effect on GDP per euro invested in the economy. The Union Populaire team have estimated this multiplier at an average of 1.18: so, one euro invested will result in an additional eighteen cents of wealth created. By comparison, the multiplier for the governments recovery package was less than one euro, i.e. it did not create additional wealth.

Obviously, any such calculation is uncertain and open to challenge, given its starting hypotheses. But here again, we must remember that this uncertainty weighs heavily on neoliberal promises, too. The results of the CICE tax credits and the reform of taxes on capital have been particularly lackluster. Moreover, despite particularly negative evaluations, these reforms have not been called into question. Here again, the neoliberals failure means that the post-Keynesian vision can no longer be presented as merely a nice dream for their dreams have already dissipated.

In total, therefore, the additional 250 billion in annual public spending is said to be offset by an estimated 267 billion in additional revenue generated. The public deficit could thus be reduced by this expenditure.

This is the old, long-forgotten recipe of Madame Rabourdin in Balzacs Les Employs: the mission of a minister of finance is to fling gold out of the windows. It will come back to him through the cellars! Such a recipe, it should be emphasized, is clearly more rational in a monetary economy of production that is now largely financialized, than a policy of protecting savings which will feed an evermore autonomized financial system.

How can we get to such a conclusion? First of all, contra Madame Rabourdin, the Union Populaire program does not intend to fling gold out of the window, but to concentrate spending on those who need it the most. Numerous studies have shown that the less wealthy people are, the more they use the money becoming available to them for expenditure that they would otherwise have to do without. The richest tend to save more, which limits the transmission to the rest of the economy of any spending that benefits them. This is another pillar of post-Keynesian thinking: inequality is harmful to economic activity, whereas redistribution supports it.

The Union Populaire program is strongly grounded in these two ideas of the multiplier and redistribution. Its first axis is thus public investment, planned at 50 billion annually over the five-year period and centered on two priorities: the ecological alternative and improving public services. In both cases, the unmet needs are obvious and thus the effect on employment and consumption should indeed be significant.

The program also provides for the recruitment of one million public employees over five years; their salary index point will be raised by 10 percent immediately and thereafter indexed to inflation. That costs 75 billion a year, though the key question is, what these people will do with the money.

The same applies to the vigorous redistribution measures envisages, firstly with the minimum wage hike to 1,400 net per month, but above all with the reform of the tax system. In line with the principles set out above, the program commits to a fiscal revolution aimed at halting the now-four-decade trend toward an anti-redistributive tax policy.

There are numerous reforms in this regard, on inheritance tax [taking everything over 12 million], but also with the greater progressivity of the CSG [social insurance contributions] and corporation tax, the VAT review, the end of various tax loopholes and especially the reform of income tax which will become universal, but much more progressive with fourteen different brackets. To this should be added the 1,063/month income guarantee for young people.

According to Union Populaire projections, the poorest tenth of the population will gain 14 percent in average living standards over five years. The gains gradually diminish and become losses from the richest 30 percent upward, but are concentrated on the very richest, who would see their standard of living fall by 6.3 percent. Here again, the coherence of the program is clear: redistributing wealth promotes popular consumption and employment, in turn ensures that this consumption level is maintained.

This circuit then ensures additional revenue for the state through employee contributions (35 billion more annually, given the 2.8 million jobs created), VAT and income tax (27 billion more annually), and above all tax revenue from the richest and corporations.

New inheritance taxes bring 17 billion, a new tax on assets nearly 30 billion, the elimination of polluting and inefficient tax loopholes 46.5 billion, while the new income tax scale will take in another 11 billion. Finally, a universal corporation tax, making it possible to calculate the real tax base and to fight tax evasion and optimization, should bring in 62 billion.

All this means a post-Keynesian virtuous circle. As demand creates supply and employment, growth could benefit. In the macroeconomic loop, the Union Populaire forecasts average growth of 2.7 percent, mainly concentrated in the first two years (5.5 percent in 2022 and 3.2 percent in 2023). This is the predicted effect of what Trouv calls a demand shock, in sharp contrast with Macrons famous supply shock.

In total, this policy, according to the Banque de France model, would lead to a 0.7 percent increase in private sector employment. Overall, the public deficit could fall by 2.6 GDP points for Trouv, a guarantee of the seriousness of the program.

Much could be said about the programs details. One might consider the inflation forecasts highly optimistic, and that such a policy and well return to this will invariably provoke a violent response from the capitalist camp. Thats not to mention the geopolitical situation. In truth, macroeconomic projections are only ever projections based on a priori hypotheses, set within models based on theoretical adjustments.

This costing is thus both a difficult exercise and somewhat in vain. Much the same applies to governments finance bills, which are often derailed by macroeconomic realities linked to external shocks or poor assessments of human behavior. What can be said is that, just as each government prepares a budget, this costing exercise is a necessary democratic step. But it is then a matter of defining the nature of the policy being pursued, rather than a real costing exercise.

What seems important, then, beyond the figures themselves, is to note that the post-Keynesian logic of this program is no more unrealistic than the policies usually considered reasonable, based on cutting deficits through support for (and spending on) business.

But this truth lies less in modeling exercises than in the concrete reality of neoliberal policy failure forcing the ruling neoliberals to alter their policies, sometimes to the point of openly contradicting their own discourse. Neoliberal policies have produced widening public and trade deficits; they have thus proven ineffective, and this alone ought to discredit them. Doubtless, they can draw strength from one essential argument: i.e. precisely because they are dominant, they represent a point of reference for all other policies. The realism of these alternatives is therefore to be measured by the neoliberals own yardstick. And the Union Populaire program ultimately seems to be seeking this kind of validation.

This was particularly clear in the phraseology used in the March 12 exercise. The search for seriousness went so far as to seek the blessing of the Banque de France model and of neoliberal institutes such as the Institut Montaigne which, remarkably, would be less prudent than the figures presented by Mlenchons team.

This leads to the central question of what justification there is for costing a program which also seeks a radical transformation of the economy. It is a form of concession to the dominant rationality, albeit one that undoubtedly serves an electoral function. It consists in showing that, according to the usual economic reference points, this program is feasible and credible.

But what actually is a feasible and credible program? It is one supported by a political will based on a deep popular movement. It is not a program that reduces the deficit and supports growth (even if through new means). For if that were the case, the neoliberal programs would be neither feasible nor credible.

This costing exercise is, without doubt, the best put together thus far by any candidate across the political spectrum. But this leads to a tension with the transformative character of Mlenchons project. This contradiction was palpable throughout the costing exercise.

The candidate spoke in terms of the will to transform. He criticized the logic of the commodity, and insisted that he would not govern with econometrics. But then, why submit to such an exercise in pure econometrics and have it implicitly validated by advocates of econometrics? Why insist on the reasonableness of his policy? What is the point of saying that growth will be higher and the public deficit reduced?

In this exercise, conducted with great seriousness, there is a kind of fetishism submitting to the measuring instruments preferred by your opponents, in order to show that you would do better than them even according to their own criteria. But if we remain within this logic, can we deeply transform society?

The heart of this tension lies in the starting point of this work: governing according to need. This simple phrase presupposes an entirely new economic logic in which needs are valued and central and economic policy is judged by its ability to satisfy a certain number of these needs. Such an approach strikes at the heart not only of neoliberalism, but moreover of capitalism itself. Economic organization is no longer intended to produce value but to fulfill social functions.

In this context, it is necessary to build the infrastructures necessary for this organization, in terms of public services, energy and ecology. But these investments are not intended to produce surplus value, and therefore growth, but rather to allow an escape from the need for growth. This is not just a rhetorical move; for by getting out of this necessity, we also get out of the need for financing through growth.

If we want to finance such a movement through the development of market activity via VAT, contributions, or other taxes, then this market activity must prosper. But with what will it prosper? What will it produce? Wont this production be at odds with the objectives of public policies? We thus find ourselves in a new tension, in the need to develop market activity in general in order to finance a policy that tends precisely to free society from market domination.

Mlenchon tries to get out of this contradiction by identifying a needs-led policy with a demand-led policy. But the two terms are very different. Demand is one of the terms of the market. In the post-Keynesian logic, it is a condition of supply. Demand is thus embedded in the market, which determines it to a large extent.

Therefore, if a needs-led policy is to be able to transform society and the economy, it is necessarily different from a simple demand-led policy and from the post-Keynesian logic presented on Saturday. For then, needs must be defined democratically and collectively and not by the market. What is at stake here is the content of demand. The ecological and social transformation of the economy cannot let the logic of value determine demand. It must also question and determine the content of this demand.

This is not just a theoretical question. The tension raised by this costing exercise conceived as the alpha and omega of credibility would have concrete consequences if Mlenchon came to power. For the first threat to the Union Populaire program is that of the capital strike, in other words, capitalists refusal to invest and hire. This was the situation that Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) had to face in the 1930s and which he circumvented by dividing the camp of capital to rely on the winners of the New Deal.

This is the strategy Mlenchon is also drawing on, as he tries to play on the internal struggle in the camp of capital between those dependent on the domestic market the small capitalists and the big corporations. For several weeks, he has insisted that he is the candidate of the order book and of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The latter will benefit from the increase in domestic demand and from an advantageous tax system. But these good capitalists must also extract value and make increasing profits.

It was precisely because Roosevelt satisfied the accumulation capacity of many employers that he was able to build a coalition to save US capitalism from itself. But todays situation is very different. For it is the tendency to accumulate, which is structural in capitalism, that is causing the rise in inequality and the climate disaster, via the structural fall in productivity and the race for growth. In other words, it is far from certain that such a compromise is possible, for it is far from certain that it is either possible or desirable to save capitalism from itself.

If this is not the case, it will be necessary to take up a frontal fight against capital or, on the contrary, to accept its conditions and thus to return to supply-side policies. This is, in another context, the problem that the French left faced when it came to power in 1981.

The only alternative, then, would be to act on the nature of demand and to completely reorganize the mode of production. The post-Keynesian logic will then no longer suffice. Mlenchons program has many tools to deal with this, notably planning, a reduction in working hours or a job guarantee (very limited, as it is reserved for the long-term unemployed). But, in this case, we must leave behind the fetishism of financing at the heart of this costing exercise.

Without doubt, the presidential campaign is not the right time to tackle these questions. The aim is to build a heterogeneous base of voters within a given framework. The costing of the program, which acknowledges the profound failure of neoliberalism, aims to build such a base. However, its political function should not obscure the future challenges that must somehow resolve this ambitious programs contradictions.

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Jean-Luc Mlenchon Has a Radical Program. Implementing It Would Be Far Tougher. - Jacobin magazine

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Members of the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Advisory Board on Wednesday approved COAs 2020 annual report.

Pam Riley was not yet executive director in 2020, but outlined the work of COA during the year.

In her report, Riley called 2020 a year we will never forget. COA closed its doors March 23, 2020, due to the pandemic and there was no indication of when it might reopen, she said.

COAs focus was to continue to serve the frailest older adults by receiving food and other help in the home. A plan was put in place to provide a weeks worth of frozen meals and other food items to those who take part in the Meals on Wheels program. This minimized contact between drivers and the older adults to whom they were delivering. COA was overwhelmed with generosity by area businesses who contributed to Meals on Wheels during this time, Riley said. These included Midwest Energy, John Carmichael of GT Independence and Jim Stuck of Fibre Converters.

In July, congregate take-out meals began to beoffered and, thanks to UAW Local 2093, Thanksgiving meals were given to veterans on the Meals on Wheels routes. L.A. Caf in Three Rivers began a buy a meal, give a meal program which resulted in the caf donating 20 meals per week to clients. In 2020, the nutrition department provided 148,000 home-delivered meals and 31,000 congregate meals, of which approximately 85 percent were to-go.

In-home aides were furloughed for a short period during 2020. COA was able to provide emergency services to its most vulnerable clients who were homebound and had no family support. One aide was kept on staff and served about 25 individuals on a weekly basis for personal care tasks. In-home aides returned to their duties in June.

The emotional well-being of members was an area of concern for COA staff during this time. Isolation and loneliness can contribute to a rapid decline in health, Riley said. COAs Life Enrichment team began working with fitness instructors to provide exercise classes on Zoom, Facebook Live and YouTube. The next step was to begin offering to-go craft kits, which was extremely popular, Riley said. Written instructions were given, and a demonstration video was available on Facebook. As the weather turned warmer, COA began to offer as many outdoor programs as it could.

COAs Kinship Care Support Group continued with about 250 hours of contact time with participants through phone calls while meetings were on hold. COAs annual holiday party could not be held in 2020, but the month of December included gifts, a hot breakfast to-go, fleece blankets and more.

Apartments at COAs Rivers Enrichment Center and Residence in Three Rivers had remained full in 2020, with a waiting list.

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St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Advisory Board approves 2020 annual report - Sturgis Journal

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GIFFORDMarch 18: NASA has chosen the Gifford Youth Achievement Center (GYAC) for its next In-flight Education Downlink. The email invitation from NASA In-Flight Education Downlinks reads - Congratulations! Gifford Youth Center is scheduled for an In-flight Education Downlink during International Space Station Expedition 67.

In-flight education downlinks are opportunities for students and educators to interact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station during a live, 20-minute question-and-answer session. Downlinks allow students to hear and see the crewmembers live from space. Because flight operations and crew member schedules are fluid, GYAC is tentatively scheduled for a downlink on July 6, 2022. Videos and astronaut responses will broadcast live on NASA TV and stream live on the NASA website at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.

We are honored to have been selected by NASA to participate in Expedition 67." said GYACs Executive Director Angelia Perry said. "This once in a lifetime experience will be a steppingstone for GYAC students to become future STEM leaders and will no doubt inspire them to reach for the stars."

Planning for the big day has officially commenced and will include a Living in Space, Preparing on Earth science fair, where students will create their own science projects that match the theme of the fair. State and local elected officials will be invited and representatives from aerospace companies including L3 Harris, RedWire Space and Lockheed Martin will be present to engage with and inspire students.

Last November during the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved GYACs request to write letters of support to accompany their proposal to take part in the In-flight Education Downlink. In addition, the Board approved the deployment of their IT staff to assist GYAC with technical support, if needed.

One month later GYAC submitted their proposal to formally apply for NASAs highly competitive downlink experience. Letters of support from Margaret Ingram, former 1988 Florida Teacher of the Year, Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education and CEO of the Science Institute of Discovery; Austin Jordan, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at RedWire Space; and Indian River Countys Board of County Commissioners accompanied the proposal. GYAC finally got the good news on March 4th after weeks of hoping they'd be chosen.

This Downlinks program would allow GYAC students to ask questions directly to the astronauts and would be an exceptional learning experience, said County Board of Commissioners Chairman Peter OBryan.

The Gifford Youth Achievement Center is a a 501(c)(3) community center that opened its doors in 1998 with the sole purpose of enhancing the academic performance of children in Indian River County. In addition to year-round educational programs and activities for youth, GYAC provides activities for adults and senior citizens, such as exercise classes, bible study and educational training. The Center also hosts job fairs, health clinics, community gatherings and serves as an information hub for those in need of services.

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GYAC Selected by NASA for In-flight Education Downlink - WQCS

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Do you aspire to begin an exercise routine but don't know where to start? Looking for something that's low-maintenance and will save you gas money? It's never too late to rev up your physical activity -- whether it's on a daily or weekly schedule. While some people havelofty, yet realistic fitness goals, many are stuck in a sedentary rut. It's time to step it up.

Getting in shape doesn't have to be a drag, and technology makes it easier to form doable exercise habits. Want to rock out on a treadmill? Pump it up with dumbbells? How about training for a marathon?

Now you can tap into the power of streaming TV to help you achieve thosewellness goals. Rather than pay for a gym or yoga studio membership, you can attend classes right at home, for free, and work out in your living room.

Here are a few of the best places to start.

YouTube is the most obvious stop for fitness content. You'll find a variety of styles, trainers and niche fare; whether you're looking for weightlifting instruction, dance, yoga, full body workouts or cycling, there's something for everyone on YouTube. To help you navigate the scene, we suggest a fewchannels to check out.

Visit The Yoga Room or Yoga with Adriene for beginner yoga techniques. MadFit's video workouts can be done anywhere, Fitness Blender has multiple intensity levels and More Life Health Seniors features stretches and other exercises for strength and balance.

Head over to 305 Fitness for high-energy dance workouts with in-house DJs. Channels by Chloe Ting, Simeon Panda and Pamela Reif all provide at-home programs that focus on every part of the body.

Launched in 2019,FitOnoffers hundreds of free on-demand and live workouts that include strength training, HIIT, cardio, yoga, walking, dance, prenatal and circuits. Home to an array of high- and low-impact sequences, the app has routines that are tailored for individuals or entire families. You have the option to choose your intensity level, session length or target body area.

Follow along with professional trainers or celebrity instructors like Halle Berry, Lindsey Vonn or the Chainsmokers to experience martial arts, Zumba and body sculpting drills. And each day, FitOn offers up to 10 live group classes that you can attend without anyone seeing you. Now available to stream on Roku and Apple TV.

During the pandemic, CorePower Yoga began offering some of its online classes for free. While the majority of its content is accessible with a paid subscription, you can also stream its collection of free classes without being a paying member.

Ranging from 20 minutes to an hour, each of the seven sessions focuses on a different area. Keep in mind that in yoga, it's OK for beginners to follow one or more of the same routines daily as the body and mind become accustomed to the new practice. Download theCorePower Yogaapp on Roku, FireTV, Android TVs or Apple TV to stream the free classes.

Prime Video members have access to Amazon's free library of exercise videos covering Pilates, yoga, strength training, weight-lifting and other practices. The platform's Exercise & Fitness section houses fitness content for all ages. Among the highlights: You can stream workouts from Maggie Binkley, a 10-day yoga challenge with Chelsey Jones or Qigong instruction from Don Fiore.

Fawesome is known for being a streaming service that offers movies and TV shows, but the app also has dedicated fitness content. Users can stream videos under its Fawesome Yoga, Fawesome Pilates or Fawesome Fit You umbrellas where you'll find barre, cardio, yogalates, kettlebell, full-body sequences and more. And most of the workouts are short and sweet. Stream the Fawesome app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV or your smart TV.

Looking for more? Netflix makes it easy to practice mindfulness with its Headspace content. Samsung's new smart TVs have a wellness hub, and Tubi users can tap into more than 100 free fitness videos (including Jane Fonda classics). You can also hit the ground running with these paid subscription services for your workouts.

Now playing: Watch this: Apple Fitness Plus adds new workout routines

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Skip the Gym and Stream These Workouts on Your TV - CNET

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AMAC Exclusive By David P. Deavel

The Hunter Biden story appears to many as simply another political story of dirty tricks or perhaps bad journalists or big tech censorship. The story is all three but the most important aspect of it is that it hurts the common good of the country. That term needs some unpacking because a lot of people use the term pretty loosely to mean anything I likein a way similar to the way too many use the term constitutional. This article will begin an exploration of the understanding of the term from a Catholic and Christian perspective in order to think more clearly about the ills of our day and how to think about them. First, however, a quick recap of the Biden story.

Even the New York Times now is confirming that the Hunter Biden laptop storywith attendant legally and ethically troubling emails that would have been perilous to the election chances of Joe Bidenwas accurate. I was never sure exactly why the story was so unbelievable about it. As a number of people have noted, its not as if people with drug addiction problems are always careful about their own possessions, so the fact that Hunter might have left a computer somewhere and forgotten about it. But in a letter three weeks before the election, the story was labeled Russian disinformation by fifty intelligence agents who admitted they had no evidence other than gut instincts for their assertion. Other news agencies such as The Washington Post and Politico amplified this baseless assertion (the term they usually use for anything Donald Trump says that they dont like).

NPR famously tweeted the words of managing editor Terence Samuels concerning questions about why they had ignored the story that the New York Post had published, We dont want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we dont want to waste the listeners and readers time on stories that are just pure distractions.When they did mention it, they passed on the intelligence officers statementsomething they then had to correct in April 2021. Meanwhile, the New York Post, who had broken the story, were locked out of their Twitter account. Other social media companies shadowbanned or limited the distribution of the story.

We all know that Joe Biden (the big guy, as he seemed to be labeled in Hunters communications) won the election. And only later was it admitted that the intelligence officials view had no merit. Only finally in 2022 that the prestigious Times went on to verify the story.

Whats wrong with all this malfeasance is that it doesnt just affect an American election result, troubling as that is. It affects the trust of the country. And that trust is one main aspect of the common good as traditionally understood.

A classic definition of the common good was given by Pope John XXIIIs description of the common good in his encyclical Mater et magistra. The common good of any political community embraces the sum total of those conditions of social living whereby men are enabled more fully and more readily to achieve their own perfection. In other words, the common good is not simply about common goods such as oil or natural resources or material wealth, though they are very important to it. The common good includes those social conditions that allow people to flourish individually and together. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that responsibility for the common good requires the prudence of all, especially those who exercise the office of authority.

This note of the need for all to exercise prudence is important since many people interpret the common good as something like Rousseaus General Will, which ultimately stays at the level of abstraction and yet involves a kind of slavery in which personal interests are canceled out and the government might be obliged to stomp out the rights of the people, who do not actually have the proper desires.

Because the Democrats or Joe Biden are the people we want in power, they think, anything that keeps them in power is for the common good. My candidates and my party must be installed because they will make the big-picture decisions that affect us. And anything that gets my party elected is for the common good.

But in a democratic republic where people do not make all their decisions on their own through referendums but instead elect people to represent themnot rule them!having journalists who are not afraid, to tell the truth, or track down the story even if it hurts the candidate or party they support is a key part of this. And that is because one of the key aspects of those conditions of social living is that people can access information and have others who will ferret it out about our candidates and elected officials in order that they can make the best choices about who actually has the countrys common good in mind.

We need journalists to find this out about officials, candidates, and indeed policies and programs, for, as another document, the Catholic Compendium of Social Doctrine, puts it, truly seeking out the good does not simply require that [the individual] live with others at various levels of social life, but that he seek unceasingly in actual practice and not merely at the level of ideas the good, that is, the meaning and truth, found in existing forms of social life.

You may be a Democrat or a Republican. You may think your party has the best ideas for how to enact the common good, but we still elect individuals to use the levers of power. So knowing whether a politician is actually corrupt is an absolute necessity for the common good. So too, knowing what particular policies and programs actually involve is key. Have past programs gone to benefit those in charge of the common good instead of the common good? That is key information for an American trying to prudently vote for persons and policies. If there is a hint of truth to some of the information in the Hunter Biden emails, that is something that the American public had and has a right to know so that citizens can do their duty.

That those who serve us in intelligence spoke without any evidence about this matter, those who serve us as journalists failed to investigate the truth of the matter until long after citizens had to make decisions about it, and that media and big tech companies whose responsibility is to provide honest reporting and access to it refused to do their duty may have been decisions made with regard to a vision of the common goodbut it was not an understanding that took into account the real conditions for that common good. Those involve empowering people to make informed decisions about which candidate and which party really is more trustworthy. Those involve building trust by providing, verifying, and certainly not censoring that information.

There is no doubt that intelligence officials, journalists, editors, and tech executives have their own views on whom to elect and what to do. They are free to have those views and support them on behalf of their notion of the common good. But they also have duties to we the peoplewho also have the right and duty to seek out the truth about what actually promotes the common good and advocate for it ourselves.

The Hunter Biden laptop story is about people who may want the common good at some level but whose actions led them to some pretty common evils that were uncommonly harmful in breaking down American trust in our government and each other.

David P. Deavel is editor ofLogos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, co-director of the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy, and a visiting professor at the University of St. Thomas (MN). He is the co-host of theDeep Down Thingspodcast.

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AS we age, weight loss just seems to get that little bit trickier.

Trying to shed the pounds at 50 is a whole different ball game to when youre in your 20s.

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Its undeniably frustrating, however, if losing weight is on your agenda and youre struggling to see a shift in the scales, dont throw in the weight loss towel just yet.

Although we know that calories in vs calories out is the underlying factor in weight loss (basically, burn more calories than you consume), there are so many other elements that do come into play and staying healthy through life plays a huge part in our weight.

We asked the experts for their sage advice on losing weight and staying well, no matter your age.

When you are in your 20s, you may be leading a fast-paced lifestyle, and while your metabolic rate will be the highest it ever will be in your adult life, it can be difficult to lose weight thanks to poor diet choices, says David Wiener, Training and Nutrition Specialist at Freeletics (www.freeletics.com).

From eating the wrong foods to skipping meals, eating on the run and drinking more alcohol, it is during your 20s that bad habits can hinder weight loss.

In the kitchen

During these younger years, your body is still susceptible to growth, so enjoying a wide range of vitamins and minerals, which aid and support that growth, is important.

Minerals such as calcium will be important at this stage of your life, as well as vitamin D, which is necessary for immune and hormone support, says David.

The best way to get vitamin D through your diet is by eating fortified cereals, sardines, tuna, cheese and egg yolks.

However, vitamin D is primarily sourced via sunlight.

Thanks to the UKs cold, dark winters, the NHS recommends that everyone take a vitamin D supplement from October through to March.

As for calcium, enjoy dairy-rich foods as well as leafy green vegetables, and fortified foods, like certain plant milks, breakfast cereals and breads.

Staying active

David explains that in your 20s, the body is strong and can handle intense workouts. For optimum weight loss benefits, a combination of strength and cardiovascular training is advised.

Mix up weight lifting with running or cycling for example. Even brisk walking is a great cardio exercise.

Forming a healthy and consistent relationship with exercise in your 20s could be the key to a long-term relationship with exercise.

The fitness regime you develop in your 20s helps to build the foundations for a stronger body which will naturally get weaker as you begin to age, adds David, who also recommends incorporating balance and flexibility into your fitness regime. Try yoga and/or Pilates.

In your 30s, David says typically youre at a maintenance time of your life with regards to fitness and weight loss.

However, if you overdid it in your 20s, you could be trying to deal with the damage and the effects of your metabolism starting to slow down, which may lead to your weight creeping up.

In the kitchen.

We lose muscle throughout every decade of life, but your 30s is likely the time when you will begin to notice, so a diet rich in lean protein is beneficial.

Enjoy foods such as chicken, turkey, tofu, fish and eggs.

If youre following a plant-based diet, protein sources include pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, black beans, tofu, chickpeas, and grains like quinoa, says David.

Maintaining or building muscle helps to increase the number of calories your body burns at rest, useful for weight loss.

As well as this, fertility for men and women might be a focus in the 30s.

Diet plays a huge part in this, and the foods for fertility health are also great for weight loss.

Including folate-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, and avocado, as well as healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds is beneficial, as well as reducing your intake of saturated fats and junk food, readily found in takeaways, ready meals, and convenience foods, explains David.

Staying active

I would advise strength or bodyweight training to increase muscle mass, says David.

If time is something youre struggling with, opt for HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts.

Interval training is a great way to increase your fitness levels and calorie burn and its performed by alternating intense periods of physical activity with short periods of rest so that your body can recover briefly before you up the intensity again.

Not only is this style of working out a great time saver, it's brilliant for building endurance and boosting the metabolism.

Check out HIIT workouts on Youtube for follow-along videos that can be done at home, with little to no equipment.

Rosie Stockley, womens fitness specialist and founder of Mamawell, adds that bone density decreases in your 30s; yet another reason to incorporate resistance training as this can help to maintain bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.

Rest days are important too, in order for the body to process and restore.

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Day to day

David adds that in your 30s you may also have children, which can affect the amount of time youre able to rest and sleep.

Studies have found that inadequate amounts of sleep are associated with weight gain, an increased appetite, decreased metabolism and less motivation to exercise.

When an individual does not get enough sleep, this can impact hunger levels significantly.

When you dont get enough sleep, the levels of ghrelin (the hormone that makes you feel hungry) rises and the levels of leptin (the hormone responsible for making you feel full) drops.

Boost your sleep by switching off electronic devices at least an hour before bedtime and try to get into bed earlier to maximise your resting hours.

For women in particular, this is likely to be one of the most stressful decades thanks to the juggle of work and family life, as well as a potential change in hormones thanks to perimenopause.

In the kitchen

Nutritionist Rob Hobson warns that while you may have been able to eat more of what you liked in your 20s and even in your 30s, this is not the case when you hit 40.

As muscle mass is declining, he recommends eating protein with every meal.

Protein also helps with satiety which is useful when trying to lose weight.

I dont believe in cutting out carbs from the diet, however, its not a bad idea to make your meals more protein and vegetable based and reduce your carb intake a little to help with weight loss.

Opt for wholegrain/wholemeal carbs as the fibre they contain can help to keep you feeling full between meals.

To avoid naughty food temptation, keep all unhealthy snacks out of the house.

Rather than stock up on crisps and chocolate for the kids, get them all involved with healthy snacking on dips, fruit and yoghurt.

Save the other stuff for occasional treats.

For women, hormonal changes can mean that annoying fat tends to linger more around the tummy area.

Fluctuations in oestrogen may affect you in a number of ways but you can offset these by including foods rich in plant oestrogens.

Enjoy plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and wholegrains.

Soy foods are very rich in plant oestrogens so try including a little soy in your diet during the week.

Hormone changes also affect bone health; eat calcium rich foods, or calcium fortified plant-based foods such as plant milks or yoghurts.

Ultimately, Rob says that in the forties, its best to ditch complicated diet regimes.

Instead, make sustainable, healthy changes to your eating regime.

Staying active

Rosie explains that as women approach the menopause, the hormonal shifts in the body dont just affect muscle mass, but bone density too.

Plus, it can be harder to shift unwanted weight.

Many women may find that their usual fitness routine may be less effective in their mid-40s onward; that they arent seeing the results they were used to.

Resistance training is key for women at this stage of their lives to increase muscle mass and strength.

This will also help with weight control, general mental and physical health and confidence.

Not sure where to begin? There are a multitude of videos online; just be sure youre following programs by a qualified personal trainer.

Its also important to avoid stressing the body out too much with overly strenuous exercise, as this can actually wreak havoc with hormones and cause unwanted fat to linger around longer.

This is the opposite of what were trying to achieve.

Day to day

Stress can wreak havoc on weight loss goals; not only can stress impact hormones in women, getting in the way of dropping the pounds, but for both genders it can lead to excess food intake, in particular foods that provide little to no nutritional benefit for the body.

Focus on ways to manage your stress, says Rob.

Adopt good sleep hygiene techniques that are personal to you take a bath before bed, ditch the phone/laptop before bed, try breathing or meditation techniques and take time to create the perfect sleep oasis by organising your room to be quiet, cool and comfortable.

During these years, the tactics needed to lose weight are very similar.

David explains that the natural decline in muscle mass as you age decreases your metabolic rate and makes it harder for you to lose or maintain your weight.

This means that your weight creeps up over the years, even if your diet hasnt massively changed.

In the kitchen.

As well as continuing to ensure a diet that contains plenty of protein to avoid the decline of muscle, during our 50s, we become more conscious of our health overall, including our cholesterol levels.

Eating too much food that is high in saturated fat can cause your cholesterol levels to be high.

In the UK, the main sources of saturated fat that we indulge in include pies, sausages, butter, cheese, cakes, and biscuits.

We should also be avoiding oils high in saturated fats such as palm oil and coconut oil, says David.

To help lower your cholesterol levels and ensure a healthy diet for weight loss, enjoy foods rich in unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish and avocados.

Fruits and vegetables are also known to be rich in vitamins and minerals that we need to lose weight and be healthy, as well as being high in fibre.

Certain high-fibre foods can help reduce the cholesterol in the blood by blocking the absorption of saturated food in the gut, reveals David.

Aim for at least 30g of fibre a day.

A skin-on baked potato contains around 4g, a portion or Bran Flakes around 8g, an apple contains 3g and a banana around 3g.

Really struggling to shift the weight? Rob explains that it could be down to an underactive thyroid, so its worth getting checked by your GP.

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In the gym

A focus on strength training is still important to help prevent brittle bones and injuries which become more commonplace as you age.

Plus, it continues to help with muscle mass and enhances metabolic rate.

This doesnt mean going to extremes; bodyweight exercises and exercises using light dumbbells can have a positive impact on muscles and bones.

During the 60s and beyond, you might find you have a less active lifestyle, which naturally can result in weight gain, so boosting your activity levels is one way to combat weight gain, or indeed lose weight if that is your goal.

Walking is a great low impact and low intensity exercise.

Over time, you can begin to walk faster or further, but for beginners, regular walking is a good place to start, says David.

Swimming is also a brilliant cardiovascular, low impact workout which is kind to your muscles and joints.

As you push and pull yourself through the water, your body will be fighting against resistance, building muscles and working your body as a whole, gently.

David adds that yoga and Pilates are beneficial; helping to flex your muscles, keeping them supple and building strength gradually.

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The diet mistakes youre making in every decade and the best way to lose weight by AGE... - The US Sun

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