Most Women Do Not Have Flat Bellys.

 

I have ended up working out to a few of those more hard core videos.  The ones where they have women who have a perfectly flat belly.  They jump up and down, can do the fancy planks and other movements while leaving me behind in the dust.  The other day on one of my videos the instructor commented that the goal was not going after "a six pack belly".  Since I've been working hard to get rid of the belly I seem to have acquired in the second half of 2022, it made me wonder if perhaps I was wrong thinking the end goal is a flat stomach.

I have been working hard to get a better belly over the past 6 weeks.  I have a more defined waist, I can see the bottom of my ribs gently outlined, and I am seeing more of my abdomen but it is not flat.  According to several things I've read, very few women can actually achieve a flat stomach.

One reason many women are not able to get a totally flat stomach is because they have something extra that men do not.  Women have reproductive organs in the abdomen area and these organs require a bit of extra padding in addition to having space for the stomach, the intestines, and liver.  Our bodies are designed to start adding fat when we enter puberty to prepare us for our childbearing later on.  

In addition, men and women tend to lose weight differently.  Men lose it from their visceral fat first which is the fat behind the abdomen muscles while women lose the subcutaneous fat that lies just below the skin. Furthermore, some women have issues with their hormone regulation which makes it harder to lose the visceral fat.  

It has been suggested that women should focus on having a stronger core rather than trying to fight against their body when they go after a flat stomach.  If you don't have a strong core, you won't have strong body and you may end up with injuries you would not otherwise get.  Just remember having a set of 6 pack abdomens does not mean you have a strong core and vice versa. The thing is, the idea of having a good set of abs has been with us since the Ancient Greeks.  A person who had those great abs was considered special and draw people's eyes to their physicality.  It was the "If I have these great abs, you can work hard and get them too."  Unfortunately, this isn't true for most women.

In the 1990's when videos hit the market showing people how to get "Abs of Steel", they sold millions looking for the magic bullet. Over time, it has become the gold standard for women, the ability to acquire that set of flat abdomens but in general, most women will not accomplish this goal because of their biology as mentioned at the beginning.  Their bodies are designed for child bearing so the body prepares itself, even if we never plan to have children.

I honestly think, at this point, I will settle for a toned body, strong core, and say the hell with expectations and proudly display my body (poofy belly included) in a bikini.  Don't let the person leading the class who might have a flat stomach, make you think you need one.  You don't.  You just need to be healthy with a strong core. Celebrate yourself.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear. Have a great day.

Looking Almost Alien

 

So Alive

 These look so alive, don't they?

The Types Of Perms.

I ended up with relatively wavy/curly hair that I wear long as a way of keeping it under control.  I have never had a perm but my mother who was born with fine, thin, hair got a permanent twice a year like clockwork.  I only thought there was one type of perm because my mother got the same one but since I did the research on the difference between relaxers and perms, I discovered there are quite a few different types of perms.

So let's start with the spiral perm. This perm is best for hair that is shoulder length or longer. In general, the hair is rolled vertically so that when it is done, you end up with tight, twisty, bouncy curls.  They add a nice amount of body to your hair and last about six months before they start loosening.

Next is the body wave perm which adds volume and the waves look more natural.  The hair is rolled on larger rollers so the waves look larger and looser and more relaxed. This is a good choice for people with really straight hair that doesn't curl well.  It usually lasts between three and five months before having to be redone. 

Then you have the beach wave perm.  It creates waves that make you look like you just came back from the beach. It allows you to have a nice casual look without a lot of effort.  To get this look, the hair is rolled on springy spongey, rollers and the look lasts about four months. 

Don't forget the digital perm which is one of the hottest things coming out of Japan recently.  This method uses infra-red heat transmitted thorough temperature controlled rods to create loose waves and volume at the top of tight ringlets.  In this process, they also use gentle chemicals to recondition and repair the hair at the same time.

If you have shorter hair, think about a pin curl perm. This process uses both curlers and pins to create a bunch of tight, bouncy curls that have movement. The tightness or looseness of the curls will depend on the size of the curlers used.  In addition, the chemicals used in this perm tend to be gentler but the perm doesn't last as long, only about three to six months.

There is also the spot or partial perm is only applied to specific parts the head rather than to the whole head. This perm can be used to cover thin spots, add volume to certain areas, or even out the whole look so it is more uniform.  When done properly, the new curls will blend with the older ones so it looks great.

On the other hand, you might check out the stack perm which is also a partial perm but it is applied to the middle and ends of the hair rather than the roots. It is used to add volume and give the illusion of having layers. They use different sized rods and curlers to accomplish this easy to care for look. It tends to last between four and five months.

Next is the root perm which is where the perm is only done on the two to four inch area closest to the hair roots.  It adds lift and volume and is great if you have already permed hair that has grown out some.  Using the root perm on the new growth decreases the chances of damage to the already permed areas. They are easy to take care of  but only last about a month, so you have to have them regularly touched up.

Now, if you want something that has different sized curls, you might think about the multi-textured perm.  This perm is produced by using different sized rollers and curlers, so you end up with a combination of tight and loose curls resulting in a very natural look.  It is best on folks with medium length or longer hair and it tends to last a few months.

There is also the volumizing perm which uses a combination of loose curls and waves to create volume in the hair and is great for all types of hair.  It is accomplished by using a variety of different sized rods and then the rods are taken out when the neutralizing liquid is applied so the curls form loosely. These tend to be among the least expensive types of perm but they also don't last that long.

Finally, is the straightening perm which was mentioned last time. In this, the solution is applied and no rods or curlers are used. A flat iron is applied to the hair to make it straight. This process can take between six and eight hours so it takes a long time but it lasts between six and seven months at a time. 

So now you know about the different types of perms so you know which one is better for your circumstances.  I would recommend having it done by a professional and you can discuss with them which would be best.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day. 

The Difference Between Relaxers And Perms

This is from Hair Buddah.  I was watching one of those hair fails he does where someone had permed their hair and then relaxed it and it left their hair in terrible shape.  He mentioned something about one breaks bonds and puts it together one way and the other does it a slightly different way so I decided I wanted to find out the difference and I'm sharing it with you.

Although some people think they are the same, they really aren't.  Both relaxers and perms rely on using chemicals to create a certain look, it is opposite looks.  One is to curl your hair and one is to get rid of the curl.  In addition, there is a reverse perm which is designed to straighten it.  So lets look at each of these step by step.

The perm, short for permanent wave, uses chemicals and curling rods to create curl in straight hair.  The mixture is absorbed by the hair which makes a permanent change.  Due to the nature of perms, women with curly hair can use them to enhance the curls or to make nice waves.  In the reverse perm, uses the exact same chemicals as the regular perm but instead of using curling rods, a flat iron is used to straighten it. When hair is straightened using a reverse perm, it lasts up to six months.

The process to get a perm generally requires the hair to be placed around a specific type of curling rod.  Then they are saturated in a solution containing ammonium thioglycolate which causes the hair bonds to break so that their structure can be changed. Consequently, the hair on the rods will then take the shape of the curlers or curling rods. After about 15 minutes, the solution is rinsed out of the hair without removing the rods, then a neutralizing solution is applied to reform bonds so the curls stay in the hair. About 5 minutes later, the rods are removed, the hair is gently blow dried, and your hair has lovely new curls.

On the other hand, relaxers usually have stronger chemicals which cause the hair to be straightened without using any tools.  Although the chemicals can be stronger than those used for a perm, the results only last about three months. The process for relaxing hair is to apply a solution which breaks the hair bonds so the curls are relaxed and hair straightened. 

Usually, when starting the process, the scalp is covered with something to protect it from the chemicals.  Then the relaxer cream should be applied evenly all over the hair but the strands should not be stretched.  The cream is then left for about 15 minutes on the hair before it is washed out with a neutralizing shampoo and conditioner.  There are three types of relaxers, the lye relaxer, the non-lye relaxer, and the relaxer with the ammonium thioglycolate in it.  Yes, this is the same ingredient used in perms but when used in a relaxer, it is found at a higher concentration.

So know you know the differences between perms and relaxers.  On Friday, I'll look at the different types of perms so if you are considering a perm, you have a much better idea of which one to get. One thing to keep in mind is that if you bleach your hair, you should not be getting a perm or relaxing it otherwise you could end up with extremely damaged hair. So let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Crossing The Midline

 

The other day during one of the exercise sessions, the leader stated that it was important to exercises that crossed the midline.  Of course, my mind immediately wanted to know why it was important since I'd never heard that before. I know that many of the exercises require me to stretch across the midline but I assumed it was to stretch the body.

Crossing the midline refers to moving one part of the body so it crosses an imaginary vertical line that runs down the middle of the body from head to toe.  It also refers to twisting the body or leaning over across the line.  

Examples of this movement include reaching an arm or leg across the body, twisting or rotating the body like when you put hands out and twist the upper body so one hand is moved around behind the body, or leaning the body over the body such as in a side crunch.  

Technically, crossing the midline is considered a gross motor skill that requires the body to coordinate the hands or feet with the body when the arms or legs move.  In fact it also relates to fine motor skills and bears upon functional skills so if you have trouble crossing the midline, it means you will be challenged performing functional tasks.  Consequently, having the ability to cross the midline actually connects core strength to functionality.

In the end, crossing the midline helps both sides of the brain learn to work together. It is important for the brain to synchronize the two sides of the brain because each side controls different parts of the body and it needs to develop the ability to coordinate both sides for the best results. What is most interesting is that the left side of the brain coordinates the right side of the body while the right side of the brain coordinates the left side of the body. Crossing the midline helps the two sides of the body work together so you can move, twist, reach, etc.

So this is why it is important to include exercises which have you crossing the midline.  It helps develop and keep the signal pathways strong and helps us as we age.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Got Instead

 Got instead due to power outage in my area.