JUNE 2016
SheSpark Strong Is The New Sexy Jenna Wolfe Talks “Thinner in 30” Over-40 Athletes Who Do It In Style Makeup Picks & Style Tips For The Gym
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NOTE FROM THEA & AUDREY Rhonda Rousey, UFC champion boxer Alex Morgan, Team USA Olympic soccer player Danica Patrick, NASCAR driver Serena Williams, USA Olympic and world champion tennis player These women are not only top athletes, they’re redefining the public’s concept of beauty. All have graced fashion-magazine covers and red carpets. They personify our June theme: “Strong Is The New Sexy.” As women over 40, we don’t need to look far for our own role models. Christie Brinkley, 62, is a vegetarian and Total Fitness Gym spokeswoman who swears by healthy living. Heidi Klum, 42, is an avid runner who partnered with New Balance to launch a fitness-apparel line. Actress Cameron Diaz, 43, still surfs to stay in shape and authored two books about positive body image and the science behind aging. We also have Jenna Wolfe, 42, a fitness guru, new mom, and author of “Thinner In 30.” She’s dedicated to helping the Over-40 Nation stay healthy so we can live longer, fuller lives. We’re delighted that Jenna’s our Woman Of The Month and special live-chat guest on Twitter (May 25th, 8pm CT). You’ll love her just as much as we do! Like all these ladies, we refuse to “give up” on any level. No muumuus. No blue hair (unless it’s race-car blue). And no regrets.
Over 40 Never Looked So Good! Cheers, Thea & Audrey
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ISSUE TWO Co-Editors-In-Chief Audrey Stefanik, Thea Wood
Copy Editor Colleen Sullivan
CONTRIBUTORS
SUPPORT SHESPARK FRIENDS
Lisa Aston
Honey & Abernathy
Lisa Joiner UnveiledWisdom.com
InsideOutStyle
Lois Joy Johnson AARP.org Imogen Lamport InsideOutStyle.com Audrey Stefanik CremesComeTrue.com Jenna Wolfe JennaWolfe.com Thea Wood TheaWood.com
Lisa Joiner MK AvantGarde Jewelry OHBON Passion Flower Beauty RMB Naturals Sarah Martin Bemrich Designs Tito’s Handmade Vodka ZINK
SheSpark is published monthly by SheSpark, LLC., a publishing group dedicated to connecting over-40 women with emerging brands and experts in style, beauty, and wellness. Responsibility is not assumed for the opinions of writers, other articles, or advertisers. SheSpark does not endorse or guarantee the products and services it advertises. Copyright © 2016 SheSpark, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this online publication may be duplicated or reproduced without permission from the publisher. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of information included in the magazine at the time of publication, the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising from errors or omissions.
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Why I Said “No” To Yoga Pants by Thea Wood (@Over40Style)
As you may know, I have a beef with yoga pants. Sure, there are women who can rock them, but I see too many yoga pants fails on a daily basis to brave them except to yoga class--and then only with serious strategizing. My new favorite alternative? The activewear dress. The activewear dress is a low-maintenance alternative that is feminine and fashionable for workouts and for daily wear. I walk, run, golf, and parent in my activewear dress. A few tips for choosing the right dress… READ MORE
NOT YOUR COLLEGE BOYFRIEND’S VARSITY BASEBALL JACKET They’re are all the rage this season. Throw on a light-weight cotton version with an activewear dress for a modern and feminine look when working out. Going to dinner? Slip it on over a t-shirt and your favorite jeans. Comfortably chic!
SHOP NOW
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“YOU DON’T HAVE TO PUT AN AGE LIMIT ON YOUR DREAMS” — Dara Torres, Olympic swimmer who took home 3 silver medals at the age of 42. She was also the first female athlete to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. READ MORE HERE.
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www.passionflowerbeauty.tictail.com
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“YOU CAN’T WIN THEM ALL, BUT YOU CAN TRY” Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Golfer Between the ages of 40 and 42, Babe was the leading money-winner in the LPGA. She won her 10th and final major just weeks after surgery. Wearing a colostomy bag.
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A Hotter Squatter Makeup Picks For The Gym By Audrey Stefanik (@CremesComeTrue) Squats. Burpees. Planks. Ugly words, when you think about it. They are even less attractive activities. I don’t feel like a squat is my most flattering position. If my body is going to be doing all sorts of awkward movements at the gym, I at least want my face to look good. I want to be a hotter squatter. Sooo… I am that girl who wears makeup to the gym. Don’t judge. Through trial and a few tragic errors, I have figured out the makeup that passes the sweat test. Here are my makeup picks for the gym. READ MORE http://sarahmartinbemrichdesigns.com/products/the-srirachatorsade-necklace
A GOOD MAN CAN MAKE YOU FEEL
SEXY, STRONG AND ABLE TO
TAKE ON THE WORLD … Oh, sorry… that’s EXERCISE… EXERCISE does that…
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Bobbi Brown’s 9 Tips For A Fabulous Face by Lois Joy Johnson (@TheMakeupWakeup) Tip #1 – Good makeup starts with good skin care. “Plump up freshly washed skin with a killer moisturizer and eye cream. Consider adding serums and oils as an extra step in your treatment routine to nourish and improve dry sun-damaged skin.” “Use a cleansing oil at night to dissolve makeup gently and leave your skin supple and smooth, ready for night repair products.” Tip #2 – Face makeup should match your skin tone. “Whether you choose a tinted moisturizer, BB cream, tinted balm, stick serum or liquid foundation, make sure it’s a seamless skin-identical match – not too dark or too light. Swatch a few shades on the side of your face. The color that disappears is the one you want. Double-check at the forehead to be sure.” Tip #3 – Corrector and concealer change everything. “Start with a peach- or pink-toned corrector – a tinted shade of concealer that will neutralize dark circles and brighten them. Then layer a creamy concealer one shade lighter than your skin tone directly over the corrector shade to lighten, and blend it seamlessly into your complexion.”
Tip #4 – Double-line your eyes. “For a crisp, clean line, apply a dark powder eye shadow along the lash line with a slightly dampened liner brush. Moistening the brush prevents shadow fallout on your cheeks. Then reline the eyes right over the shadow line with a contemporary shade of gel liner.”
Go to www.AARP.org/Beauty to check out the rest of Bobbi’s tips!
Back in 1995, Tito poured himself a drink and drew a line down the middle of a piece of paper. These simple acts launched his Fresh Start. Try the very same Line Down the Middle exercise that helped Tito realize and pursue his passion here, and read more about the Tito’s Handmade Vodka story at titosvodka.com.
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Tito’s All American Lemonade · 1.5 oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka · 3 oz of your favorite lemonade
Fill your glass with ice. Add Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and top with lemonade. Garnish with a lemon wedge or mint sprig.
WINE ENTHUSIAST RATINGS SCORE OUT OF 100 POINTS
PTS
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“IT’S FREE. IT’S HOT. AND EVERYBODY IS DOING IT….” by Thea Wood (@Over40Style)
Jenna Wolfe reminds me of Patrick Swayze’s bank-robbing character Bodhi in the 1991 movie Point Break. Both are thrill seekers — always on the lookout for the biggest wave. She’s surfed, skydived, scaled a 30-foot racing sailboat mast, flown with the Blue Angels, flown a water jet pack, space camped with Richard Branson, and jumped out of a perfectly good helicopter to snowboard down a mountain. Her list of dare-devil feats goes on. (For the record, she’s never robbed a bank.)
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Jenna’s risk-taking isn’t for everyone, but her story is the American Dream. She was born in Jamaica, raised in Haiti, and migrated to New York with her American Jewish mother and Puerto Rican Jewish father. She speaks English, French, and Haitian Creole. With hard work, passion, and a little “right place at the right time” happenstance, she’s realized her dream of being on national TV. Jenna started her career as a local sportscaster (newscaster jobs weren’t available when she graduated Binghamton University) and worked her way up to NBC’s Today Show as a lifestyle and fitness correspondent and NBC News as a national correspondent. Last November, Jenna announced her decision to leave NBC as she set off to promote her book “Thinner In 30” and build her own brand. At age 42 (with two kids), a major career change would intimidate most. Not Jenna. She’s now dedicating her time to sharing everything she knows about health and fitness through her book and JennaFit club, where members access workout and “pep talk” videos and chat with Jenna weekly. SheSpark is thrilled that Jenna will talk to our fans live on Twitter on May 25th, 8pm CT. She was kind enough to answer some of my questions that came up as I completed the “Thinner in 30” challenge based on her book (read my weekly reports here). THEA: Going through the program, it became crystal clear that even the thought of changing exercise or eating habits invokes paralysis. Why is that? JENNA: The older we get, the harder it is to change. We spend our entire lives building up layers of fear, stubbornness, insecurities, habit. Then one day we decide we're going to change and those layers are suddenly so thick, we can't peel them back. Change is terrifying. It's time consuming, often painful, stressful and frustrating. Sometimes it's easier for us to do nothing and live with whatever bad habit or unhealthy lifestyle we’re trying to change than it is to dive in head first, and take a chance at something amazing.
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THEA: If an over-40 woman feeling “stuck” in her weight came to you and said she could only muster making one change, which change would you tell her to implement and why? JENNA: I would probably have her cut out all simple carbs after 6 PM. We spend the majority of our day trying to be good, trying to eat well, trying to stay healthy, trying to make smart choices, so by the time dinner rolls around, we're exhausted. It's easy and almost logical to reach for the breadbasket or take comfort in a big warm bowl of pasta. Since our nutritional guard is down and our appetite is up, we make poor choices. We also fall into the trap of mindlessly snacking in front of the TV at night. Save calories by cutting out all simple carbs (table sugar, white bread, cookies, crackers, ice cream, chips…. All of the late night goodies that taste great but treat us terribly).
THEA: Nothing makes me cringe more than the two simple words “Food Diary.” But I did it for you, Jenna. And I have to admit, it worked in spite of my loathing every minute of recording. What’s so scary about it and why is it so necessary to adapt?
JENNA: Accountability. Plain and simple. When you log every piece of food you eat, just like logging every bad habit you're still trying to kick or counting how many times you reach out to your ex when you know you shouldn’t…, it all adds up to accountability.
From ripped to round
Jenna understands it’s harder to get back into shape than to stay in shape.
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So how does accountability change you? Forcing yourself to stare at your poor food choices will help you make changes to your diet without somebody telling you to do so. It's much easier to sneak a handful of M&Ms than it is to write down that you just ate a handful of M&Ms. When you start looking at that list every day and you start writing it down every day, you inevitably stop reaching for it every day. So get over your fear, write it down, stare at it, own it, and make changes based on it. THEA: What are the most common myths you hear about midlife health and fitness? JENNA: I always hear people tell me that it's too late for them to change their bodies. It's too late to get in shape. It’s too late to tone up. Too late to get fit. I hear that there's not enough time in the day for them to ever make a dent in their already crazy lives. Here's the truth: it's never too late. It may take a little more work to kick start your healthy lifestyle and get your metabolism going. It may take a little more time to find those muscles that haven't been used in a while…, but it's never too late. If anything, it's the perfect gift you can give yourself when going through some semblance of a midlife situation. There’s no downside to getting in shape. There are no negative side effects to getting healthy. It’s free, it’s hot, and everybody’s doing it. ☺
XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX Martina Navratilova, Tennis player She won 12 doubles titles and three mixed-doubles Grand Slam titles all after age 44. She earned herself a Paraguay stamp! READ MORE
What Is Tabata? An Interview with Lisa Aston, CPT Specialized in Kinesiology A couple years ago, a friend texted me, “I’ve signed you up for a class at the gym. You’re going!” And I was afraid. Very afraid. The peer pressure worked and I showed up for a Tabata class. It turned out to be one of the most challenging hours of my life! At the end, I felt SO proud of myself. I didn’t keep up with every exercise in that first class, but I had made it through. And I wanted to go back and get better at it. My motivation can also be credited to the instructor, Lisa Aston. She is positive, energetic, fun … and she looks phenomenal over 40. She is also an expert; a wealth of fitness information. AUDREY: When people ask me what I've been doing at the gym and I say Tabata, they have no idea what I'm talking about. What exactly is Tabata? LISA: Tabata training is a high-intensity workout designed to work the total body. It is normally programmed to be timed in 20-second intervals of high intensity work, followed by a 10-second rest period. The idea is to push your body to its limits for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds to regain the strength, and oxygen, needed for the next set. Tabata training includes sets of cardio with and without weights, plyometrics, and basic weight training exercises. All are performed in the same 20-seconds-on/10-seconds-off set. Each exercise is performed in 6 to 8 sets. I call the Tabata class I teach "Body Max.” People get the idea very quickly! AUDREY: What is the benefit of Tabata to over-40 women? What makes it different from other types of exercise? LISA: For women over 40, it is imperative to increase and maintain muscle mass in order to improve our metabolism. Our metabolism can decrease 1% every year after 40. That may not seem like much, but do the math. By the age of 60? Or 70? What do you want to look like? Feel like? Be able to do?
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Because Tabata combines weight training and cardio, and because it’s challenging and fun, Tabata training has become very popular. And it deserves to be. It's not your run-of-the-mill cardio and weight-training class. Tabata challenges you to push yourself outside your comfort zone. If you know you have to do an exercise for just 20 seconds, you can do it. You rest for 10 seconds, or maybe your rest takes you into the second set. That's okay! By the third set you're ready to go again! You might continue needing longer rest periods for a few weeks, but soon you will find that 10 seconds may not FEEL long enough, but it IS enough to get to the next set! Everyone can do this class! AUDREY: Starting a new exercise program can be intimidating. What is your advice for someone who wants give Tabata a try? LISA: Tabata-style training is perfect for someone starting out, whether in a class format or with a trainer. Knowing you have 20 seconds to perform an exercise, you can go all out, or you can pace yourself. It’s up to you. You can start with just 2 to 3 sets of each exercise, for 20 on/ 10 off. Each week, add another set, until you've made it to 6 sets. It's a great way to watch improvement and your progress will keep you motivated. Knowing at one time, three sets was more than you wanted, and now six sets is what you're demanding! It is the greatest feeling when class is over and you have pushed your body in ways you never thought possible. You actually look forward to doing it again because next week's class will be the same timed format, but with totally different exercises. Doing the same thing over and over gets boring and can cause injuries. Training your body to push for 20 seconds is your own private challenge. And each class there's always something different to challenge yourself with. Tabata training is a high-intensity workout for watching your body accept the challenges you have given it. You’ll realize that no matter what your age or fitness level, your body will perform for you. All you have to do is start.
Ask yourself, do you have 20 seconds to start? You can rest later.
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Selling A Skeptic
by Thea Wood (@SheSparkChat) When Lisa Joiner hit her 40s, she could no longer ignore a powerful gift she had her whole life. Lisa inherited a special intuition that she knew could help people in transition or even crisis. “I’ve used it my whole life, but I wasn’t really aware of it. My grandmother certainly had it, and my mom has it but denies it,” admits Lisa. Lisa left her 30-year career in sales to fine-tune her spiritual gifts and start an intuitive consulting practice. She resisted doing readings at first. “Performance anxiety. On if you’re going to get it right. And who am I to do that work? It’s pretty special work. With it comes a big responsibility,” Lisa explains. My question was how can an intuit be taken seriously? Especially by a generation who remembers Dionne Warwick’s “Psychic Friends Network” from late-night infomercial fame. I was skeptical, but asked Lisa for a consultation to see what it was all about. We exchanged greetings and pleasantries before she took a moment for a quick prayer. That’s when something unexpected happened: Lisa started talking about details in my personal and professional lives that were spot on. Not only that, she saw the challenges I’m facing and gave specific suggestions for addressing them. (continued on next page)
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Here’s an example… ME: What do you see about my son? LISA: He has a sweet energy, but he’s scattered. He has a difficult time focusing, easily distracted, an internal restlessness. I get the physical feeling like his body is racing all the time. Please don’t be offended, but is your son ADD? ME: Actually, he has ADHD. LISA: He tries to control it but can’t handle it. So he’s never at peace. Work with him to breathe deeply and open his hands (they are tight like a fist). Once you show him how to get to that calm place, he will like it and keep going back. I recommend kids’ yoga. It will drive him to do work and help others when he recognizes [ADHD] in them. Overall, he’s very smart and will learn how to handle it. Our one-hour exchange convinced me that there’s something to her abilities. For someone who is seeking clarity when her emotional/mental state is stressed or in overdrive, this type of counseling may provide the energetic balance needed to move in the right direction. “In shamanic terms, everything is energy,” explains Lisa. “We’re most familiar with our physical and emotional bodies. Then we think about things a lot (our mental body). Then there’s the spiritual body and energetic body. Shamans like energetic bodies because they positively affect the other bodies. They can override an imprint (like pressing the reset button). So we can choose differently. It changes how we process and choose things. Gives you tools and homework to do to help make the change easier.” I’m sold.
Lisa Joiner wrote “Unveiled Wisdom: Wedding Planning for the Mid-Life Bride” in her 40’s. Like her personal consultations, Lisa sees an issue, addresses it, and gives actionable items at the end of each chapter. SHOP NOW
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Does Everyone Notice Your Flaws? by Imogen Lamport (@ImogenLamport) OK, first up, I’m just going to say that I don’t believe in the concept of flaws. I believe our bodies are beautiful just as they are; that everything is an asset. Now sometimes we may want to hide some of our assets, but they are all assets nonetheless. But, I see comments here and get emails all the time from women who want to hide some of their assets and have the perception that everyone is noticing them all the time. That they couldn’t possibly leave the house in a skirt for fear that their ankles will be the source of derision, or their thighs will be all that people notice. I’m currently reading the brilliant book Presence by Amy Cuddy and in it she mentions the research on The Spotlight Effect, which I think really applies to so many of us who feel that we are much more noticed… READ MORE
I LOVE THE PERSON I’VE BECOME BECAUSE
I’VE FOUGHT TO BECOME HER
- kaci diane -
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EVENTS LISTINGS WANT TO LIST YOUR STYLE | BEAUTY | WELLNESS EVENT? Email SheSpark for Information
09 June 2016
SheSpark is a proud WWB award nominee. Join us to celebrate with other female entrepreneurs. BUY TIX
22 June 2016
Over-40 health & fitness star answers your questions LIVE on Twitter. Trivia prizes and lots of fun! @SheSparkChat
“ONCE YOU START EXERCISING, HONEY, IT’S A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME” Ernestine Shepherd, Bodybuilder She began training at age 57 and won her first competition at age 71 - beating women half her age. No injuries, no meds, no excuses. READ MORE
20 July 2016
Amazon Best-Selling Author explains how “Your Clothes Speak” LIVE on Twitter. Trivia prizes and more! @SheSparkChat
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IT TAKES A TEAM
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