To learn more go to www.GoRedForWomen.org. Please.

I hope your weekend is full of heart-healthy Fitness & Spice!

Now Toto and I really must go find the courage to go out for a run!

You’re probably wondering what I learned during Week 2 at BetterU(niversity). Well, truth be told I learned a lot of things this week from the American Heart Associations BetterU program. But I really want to chat about rewards for short term goals because I think this was the lesson I was meant to learn this week.

Today I had two separate conversations about short term goals and rewards associated with achieving those goals. While I’m sure we all agree that the reward of setting healthy living goals is better health, right Jill? But it certainly is nice to have a carrot dangling over your head to help you achieve your goals. Ok, maybe instead of a carrot…a massage, right Ang?

The BetterU program encourages you to categorize your goals into 3 groups: Exercise, nutrition, and a heart-healthy goal. Here are a few of their suggestions:

• Physical Activity Goal: This week, I will find a safe, convenient place to walk – at home, work, or in my neighborhood.
• Healthy Eating Goal: I will make one of my favorite recipes healthier this week by: adding healthy ingredients, cutting out less healthy ingredients, and/or replacing less healthy ingredients with more healthy ingredients.
• Lowering Your Heart Disease Risk Goal: This week, I will take the Go Red Heart Check-Up to learn my risk for heart disease and stroke; if I don’t know my numbers, I will make an appointment with my healthcare provider to get them.

After setting your SMART goals, it’s time to set a reward for achieving those goals. The “carrots” or rewards don’t have to be expensive they can be anything meaningful to you. Some of my carrots? A manicure, a magazine, new workout clothes, new tunes for the iPod.

What are your carrots for achieving your short term healthy-living goals? Tell us your answer in the comment section below and one lucky winner will be rewarded with a pack of three Safe Side Towels! This contest will end on Saturday, February 20th and the winner will be announced on Sunday.

Now I really must make like a bunny and hop to the gym…I’ve got some carrots waiting for me!

My sister, Jennifer, has a very big heart both figuratively and literally. The girl will go above and beyond-beyond for just about anyone. She also has (to put it simply) an enlarged heart, a condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).

You’d never know Jennifer has HCM because it doesn’t slow her down, she’s as normal as you and me, but she has to stay on top of her health with meds and frequent visits to the cardiologist for the rest of her life.

Jennifer was born with this heart condition, but for most of us heart disease is preventable through diet, exercise, heart check ups, and  lipo-protein blood screening.

When the American Heart Association (AHA) and fitlosophy, the company behind fitbook, asked me to participate in the BLOG YOUR HEART OUT campaign over the next 12 weeks, I jumped at the opportunity to SPEAK UP for heart disease.

Over the next 12 weeks I’ll be following the AHA’s BetterU program, a free online 12-week nutrition & fitness makeover.  I’ll be blogging about this program about once a week and tracking my progress in my fitbook each day.

Why am I so passionate about being part of the Blog Your Heart Out team?

• Heart disease kills about 1 woman every minute, or approximately 450,000 women each year
• More women die of heart disease than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer
• 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease
• 80% of cardiac events in women may be prevented by making the right choices involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking

How can you get involved?

• Celebrate National Wear Red Day by wearing (you guessed it) red today!
• Join the Go Red For Women movement and become part of the fight against heart disease
• Grab a fitbook, and join me for the free 12-week BetterU program
• Follow me and the Blog Your Heart Out team for the next 12 weeks
• If you blog, join us February 12, 2010 to SPEAK UP for heart disease on Blog Your Heart Out Day

My next 12 weeks will be dedicated to my sister and to all women and men who help fight heart disease one day at a time.

Now I really must go eat a heart-healthy breakfast, hit the gym, and, well…GO RED!