{Fashion Flash}

Fashion Flash time! This week, it’s hosted by Jackie Silver of Aging Backwards, a blogger who is dedicated to helping women turn back the clock on aging. Learn how you can start “aging backwards” and enjoy all the other links from our fab Fashion Flash friends.

{My Story} Confessions from a self-proclaimed FOF worrywart

FOF Susan Orlins, an author, blogger and self-proclaimed “worry wart,” reflects on the perpetual battle between worry and happiness in her life and why post-50, she still makes room for both.

Left: Susan at her computer, Right: Susan’s book, Confessions of a Worrywart

[Editor’s note: The essay below, by FOF Susan Orlins is part of a series of personal blogs from our readers. Have your own story to tell? Email your idea to sara@faboverfifty.com.]

In the same way my oldest daughter, when she was little, shared her life with invisible companions Sibby and Babby, my own tag-alongs, Worry and Happiness, accompany me wherever I go.

Like sibling rivals, they argue constantly, vying for my attention. Happiness tells Worry, “If you’d vamoose, I could have her all to myself.”

“With all the bad things she thinks up, she needs me,” retorts Worry. “I’m not about to skedaddle anytime soon.”

Okay guys, quit quarreling, you’re both right. Worry, it’s true you get in Happy’s way, yet, I do feel safer knowing you’re there with me when scary thoughts sprout. (more…)

{Giveaway} FitKit 50+

Amie Hoff is giving away a FitKit50+ — a portable fitness kit designed to help FOFs gain confidence and control of their bodies. It includes a fitness band, ID tag, pedometer, reflective armband, resistance tube, exercise band, stability attachment, and access to Amie’s specialized online video library of exercise routines.  Enter to win by answering this question in the comments below: What’s your favorite way to workout?

Amie Hoff, a 49-year-old trainer, first made a name for herself in New York City gyms, and then in national media outlets. After being featured in major magazines such as Fitness, Women’s Health, and Allure magazine and appearing on ABC, NBC and CBS segments, she set her sights even higher hoping to reach a wider audience with her fitness routines. “I wanted to develop a product where I could really help everybody,” says Amie, “because I could only work one-on-one with so many people, and I could only reach so many people during a TV segment.”

Amie and her sister, Beth Wieczorek, an entrepreneur with a background in business development, put their heads together to develop an on-the-go fitness kit that could be used anywhere. Amie came up with a list of exercises that she wanted to include, and 13 major muscle groups that she wanted her kit to target. Her original fitness kit, the FitKit, contained a pedometer and jump rope for cardio workouts, an exercise band and resistance tubing with handles for sculpting and toning muscles, a reflective arm band for late night or early morning workouts, and an ID tag that lists your name, emergency contact, and any medications you may be on. When you purchase a FitKit, you automatically gain access to Amie’s online video fitness library, which has over 250 exercise videos.

After launching the FitKit in December of 2010, both Amie and her sister started experiencing symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Amie found that age and perimenopause was really affecting her balance, perception and agility. “I really started to think about the issues that the 50+ population were facing,” says Amie, “and I thought, here’s our next FitKit!”

Left: Co-founder and fitness expert, Amie Hoff.  Right: Amie and Beth (left) pose for a picture at the finish line of the Nautica New York City Triathlon.

Amie modified the original FitKit and created the FitKit50+. She swapped the jump rope for floor markers to be used in exercises addressing stability, agility, coordination, and balance. The exercise library for the 50+ kit incorporates balance exercises, as well as all of the same strength and cardio exercises from the original FitKit.

Amie recommends using the FitKit50+ 2-3 days per week. For the best results, she tells FitKit users to split up their workouts into cardio and strength training segments, spending about 20 minutes on each. “The great thing about the FitKit is that people can take it on the road with them or do it right in their own living room,” says Amie.  “If people are especially time crunched and can’t get to the gym they have it right on hand. You can even take it to the office!”

Enter to win a FitKit50+ by answering this question in the comments below: What’s your favorite way to workout?

Like Amie on Facebook and follow her on Twitter for an extra chance to win!


One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes January 17th, 2013 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.

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{Best Loyalty Programs of 2013}

Extreme couponer Kathy Spencer and author of “How To Shop For Free” lives off a yearly income of $45,000, feeding her family of six on just $4 dollars per week. One of her money-$aving secrets: Kathy only shops at stores that she knows will show her some serious customer appreciation. Here, she breaks down the loyalty programs that will save you the most cash this year. Did someone say fiscal cliff?!

Ann Taylor, “Perfect Rewards” Program

How it works:
When you open an Ann Taylor Rewards credit card, you’ll earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. Other perks includes a $15 coupon to use during the month of your birthday and exclusive coupons and discounts mailed to you all year.

The bottom line:
With Ann Taylor’s point system, every 2,000 points earned ($400 spent) gets you a $20 off coupon towards anything in the store.

Insider’s tip:
You can stack deals and coupons at Ann Taylor and The Loft. Sometimes they have sales that are 40% off, and then they’ll offer different coupons or a savings card that says something like: spend $50 get $25 off. So if a brand new shirt was $50 and then you get 40% off, that brings it to $30, and if you had $25 off $50 that would bring it down to $15.

Stop and Shop Card

How it works:
When you open a Stop and Shop card in the store or online, you’ll receive exclusive weekly specials, manufacturers coupons, personalized coupons mailed to you based on your shopping habits, Stop and Shop Real Deal specials (sale items that last for more than one week), and manufacturers coupons printed right on your receipts when you check out.  Every dollar you spend at Stop and Shop using your Stop and Shop Rewards card translates into one point.

The bottom line:
With Stop and Shop’s reward program, every 100 points earned ($100 spent) gets you 10 cents off of every gallon per fill up (up to 22 gallons) at any Stop and Shop or Shell Gas Station. Just present your Stop and Shop rewards card to the gas station attendant when you pay, and your discount will be added.

CVS Extra Care Card

How it works:
Open a CVS ExtraCare card online or in a CVS store. You can scan and save the card to your smart phone so you don’t have to carry it in your wallet. The CVS ExtraCare program gives you access to coupons online as well as printed coupons on your receipt. When you link your email to your ExtraCare card, you’ll receive weekly discounts that you can send directly to your ExtraCare card, or print out and use at the store. Using your ExtraCare card also earns you ExtraCare bucks, which can be used as cash on anything in the store with a few exceptions (alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets).

The bottom line:
For every purchase you make (excluding alcohol, tobacco, and lottery tickets) you earn 2% back in ExtraCare Bucks. ExtraCare bucks are distributed quarterly. So, if you spend $100 quarterly at CVS, you’ll receive $2 back to use on CVS purchases.

Sephora V.I.B Beauty Insider Club

How it works:
When you open a Sephora card online or in store, you become a Sephora Beauty Insider, giving you access to exclusive sales and products only available to those in the program. You get a free gift on your birthday, as well as a free eyebrow shaping. Each dollar you spend earns you a point.

The bottom line:
When you earn 100 points (by spending $100), you get your pick of a deluxe beauty sample. You can also wait until you earn 500 points ($500 spent), when you’ll qualify for a deluxe sample set.

The Body Shop Love Your Body Rewards Program

How it works:
Pay $10 per year, for a Love Your Body rewards card and membership. Your rewards card will get you 10% off of all in store and online purchases at The Body Shop. Members get $10 dollars off at The Body Shop on their birthday, invitations to members-only in-store events, special savings during customer appreciation days, and sneak previews of new products. For every $20 dollars you spend you earn one point, for all purchases over $50 you earn two points.

The bottom line:
Four points (a minimum of $80 spent) earns you $15 off your purchase, and 8 points (a minimum of $160 spent) earns you $25 off your purchase plus a free year membership renewal.

Insider’s tip:
Need a place to host a party?  The Body Shop will close down one of their stores for you and your friends and provide either a brunch of mimosas, coffee, and bagels, or a night of champagne. Each person in your party receives a free mini facial, hand massage, makeup application and samples completely free of charge.

Dunkin Donuts Dunkin Perks Card

How it works:
When you load up a DD card with a minimum of $2 and register it online, you’ll receive a coupon for a free medium beverage of your choice. Cardholders also get a free medium beverage on their birthday.

Papa Ginos Rewards Card

How it works:
Every dollar you spend with your free Papa Gino’s rewards card, you earn a point. You’ll also have access to exclusive members-only offers and promotions throughout the year.

The bottom line:
For every 50 points you earn ($50 spent), you get $5 to spend.

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{Health} Keep your New Year’s Resolution to get FOFit

FOFitness guru Margo Kamin says she’s “eliminated all excuses” for not working out. Her fitness sessions don’t require any equipment, or even a trip to the gym. She employs the use of resistance training, paired with video chat capabilities like Skype and FaceTime, to train her clients. Margo has clientele all over the U.S–some of which she’s never even met in person! Read on to find out more about her video chat training sessions and why video training sessions are the new secret weapon for getting FOFit.

Want to win a 30-minute video training session with Margo?  Enter to win by answering this question in the comments below: What are your trouble areas?

How did you first get into fitness?
I’ve been into fitness my entire life. I used to use fitness in an unhealthy way–in high school and college I was your textbook anorexic turned bulimic, and I would exercise on top of that to try and lose even more weight. I understand how it feels to be overweight, and I understand the struggles with addictions and the relationship that food can have with your emotions. I earned my Personal Training Certification from Cal State Hayward in 1991, and got my Group Training Certification from ACSM in 1992. Now, I’m able to help others incorporate fitness into their lives.

Where do you train your clients who don’t use video chat?
I have a studio in my house, or I would go to my clients’ houses. I’m not at a gym or a studio where you can walk in and come see me. My sessions are absolutely private, by appointment only, because I cater to women who are older and don’t want to go into a gym.

What gave you the idea to start offering video training sessions?
A few years ago I was watching television and I saw Skype and FaceTime technology on Oprah. I started offering video sessions to my current clients who were traveling and couldn’t make it to their sessions.

How do your clients who train exclusively online find you?
They usually come across my site through an online search for a personal trainer. Typically people will email me and ask to talk to me on the phone about hiring me as their trainer.  I’d say that more than 90% of them end up hiring me after we speak, and I explain more about the video training sessions and how they work.

How do they work?
Usually my clients are relatively familiar with Skype and FaceTime, but we do go through that. We always do a practice session first, which is complimentary, for about 5-10 minutes, and then we go over some basics. The next time I see them we get right to work.

What kind of equipment do your clients need?
You don’t have to have any equipment at all. I am very skilled at working out every body part using just you and gravity. You’d be surprised what you can do with a chair, or on the floor, or on a mat. I might have them grab water bottles or books for weights, or if they have a baby or toddler around I’ll have my clients put them on their laps and they will act as the resistance while my client is doing core work, or arm work, or chest presses. Your body and gravity is all you need.

Have you run into any technical glitches during your video training sessions?
During bad weather the internet connection can be a little bit choppy, or sometimes a screen will freeze but then come back, but that’s happened maybe twice out of hundreds of times. When it freezes, all you do is start the video chat over again.

Are there any limitations when training someone via video chat versus training them in person?
During video sessions I can’t reach out and adjust someone with my hands, but I’m very good at adjusting my clients orally. I can see them from head to toe, and I can see when they’re doing an exercise incorrectly. I also exercise along with them to demonstrate.

What is the most common problem that women over fifty ask you to address?
A lot of the postmenopausal women that come to me insist that they are gaining weight because they’re postmenopausal, but I’ve found that about 99% of the time that’s not true. It’s their lifestyle.  When women hit 40 they think that something’s going to change, and they do this preemptive strike and start eating differently and stop exercising, thinking that they’re going to go downhill anyway. It catches up with them–they get caught in a rut. They come to me and I teach them how to put themselves back on the list, and they start to eat better, to exercise, to feel better. I’ve eliminated all excuses. You don’t need equipment, you don’t need to leave your home–all you need to do is go to your computer and hit a button.

Enter to win a free 30-minute video training session with Margo by answering this question in the comments below: What are your trouble areas?

Two FOFs will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes December 27th, 2012 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.

The Single FOF’s Holiday Party Survival Guide


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Are you FOF and single this December? It can be tricky trying to navigate a holiday party when the only man in your life this winter is Kris Kringle. Luckily, FOF dating expert Cheryl Savage has got you covered. Read her 10 tips for surviving any holiday affair and avoid standing solo under the mistletoe this year.

1) Find out what kind of party you’re going to. Let the type of function help you determine your game plan. If you’re invited to an open-house style cocktail party with a mix of single and married people, either bring a girlfriend or go alone. If  it’s a couples dinner, ask the host whether or not you should bring a date. If she says yes, bring a male date, even if he’s just a friend, so that you’re not the odd one out. If it’s a sit-down dinner where other single people will be, go alone and mingle.

2) Don’t over analyze. Don’t think about who you’re going to sit next to, who you’re going to talk to at the party, or whether or not you’re going to be the third wheel. Leave all of that at home. Get dressed up, go with a smile on your face, and have a great time.

3) Don’t dwell on your relationship status. If someone asks if you’re with anyone, your answer should be ‘No–I’m newly single and available.’ You don’t want to dwell on your divorce or past relationship during the holidays. If a person asks if you’re divorced or widowed, answer, but then switch the conversation by asking the person about themselves. A good trick: use the art of the compliment. Tell them how well their sweater goes with their eyes.

4) Talk to the single man at the party. If you notice an interesting man that you would like to talk to at a holiday party who appears to be single, go over and talk to him. Ask him how he knows the hostess or where he’s from. A holiday party is the perfect setting to meet someone– people are loosening up, having a cocktail or two, and they’re in a festive mood.

5) Mingle with couples. This one is counter-intuitive, but make an effort to talk to everyone, not just guests that are single. If it’s a work party, introduce yourself to your co-workers wife or husband and get to know them. You never know if a guest might have a single brother or cousin or uncle that they could set you up with. This is an opportunity to put yourself out there.

6) There’s no wrong seat at a holiday party. If you sit between a couple, you’ll be able to talk to both the husband and wife. You can take a seat next to the hostess, if that makes you most comfortable. If you’re really unsure of where to sit, ask the hostess where he or she would like for you to sit. If you’re at a dinner where there are single men at the party, make sure you sit next to one of them and start a conversation. Even if nothing comes of it, they may know a single friend or brother that they could set you up with.

7) Throw your own holiday party. If you’re newly single and haven’t been invited to any holiday parties this year, throw your own.  Invite couples and singles. Ask each guest to bring a single friend along with them. Single guests should bring a single friend of the opposite sex so that you get an even mix. Serve cocktails and have everyone bring hors d’oeuvres. Ask guests to wear red for the holidays–it makes for a really fun last minute party!

Running the gauntlet: Why this FOF runner was “relieved” the N.Y.C. marathon was called off.

When Hurricane Sandy “stormed” the tri-state area two weeks ago, causing an estimated $20 billion of damage, splintering homes into matchsticks, causing 113 deaths and leaving an estimated 4.8 million households in the dark including all of lower Manhattan, N.Y.C. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said–the marathon must go on. As late as 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, just two days before the marathon was to begin, Bloomberg took the pulpit insisting the race will “give people something to cheer about” after a “dismal week.”

But, not everyone felt ready to cheer. Patricia Greenberg, an L.A.-based, FOF nutrition and fitness expert who has completed 15 marathons (six of those in New York City) said she felt “appalled” even as a devoted marathon runner. “I thought how dare they?” she says.

The mayor himself buckled to a whirlwind of criticism, eventually cancelling the marathon conceding that he would not want “a cloud to hang over the race or its participants.”

We caught up with Patricia post-Sandy to get the low-down.

How long have you been running marathons?
About 17 years. My first marathon was the Los Angeles marathon in March of 1995. A freak hail storm hit, and I still ran. I completed it in four hours and 57 minutes. Since then, I’ve run 15 marathons and 64 half marathons. I’ve run in 89 degrees, in 39 degrees, in rain storms and heat-stroke weather.

How did you start?
I was not athletic as a kid. As a young adult, I went to the Scottsdale Culinary Institute in Arizona and landed a job teaching nutrition at a culinary school in Los Angeles. Around the same time, I started working out and ultimately took on a more challenging fitness regimen. I saw an ad in the paper for the L.A. marathon and embarked on a seven-month training program with the Los Angeles Road Runners. When I finished the marathon I said, ‘okay crossed that off my bucket list–I’ll never do that again.’


Left: Patricia running the 2000 N.Y.C. Marathon. Right: Patricia poses with her medals at the finish line of the 2011 Beach Cities Challenge.

But you’ve continued to run them again and again, how come?
I cry everytime I cross the finish line. There is an incredible sense of freedom and accomplishment. People keep telling me, ‘I don’t know how you do it–I couldn’t run anymore when I turned 50.’ I don’t feel anywhere near retirement. To celebrate my 50th birthday my husband, daughter and I went to Athens and I ran the original Pheidippides trail from the Battle of Marathon to the Olympic Stadium.

You flew in from Los Angeles to run the N.Y.C. Marathon. Were you disappointed when it was cancelled?
I planned to run the marathon for my 52nd birthday. I was going to wear a Statue of Liberty costume as I ran, since I’m a native New Yorker. When I arrived, there was a part of me that felt apprehensive. I thought that we’d be running under conditions that were not ideal and maybe not necessarily safe. Then, on Friday morning at the pre-marathon expo, people were screaming and shoving to get to the merchandise–I’ve never seen anything like it. There was no evidence of New York having a problem. My discomfort was kind of waning at that point.

When did you find out it was called off?
On Friday afternoon. After the Expo, I went to visit my grandmother. She is 97 and lives in a high-rise. She had no electricity. We trudged up the twenty-something floors in pitch black. That’s when I started to wonder, ‘can I in good conscience run a marathon on Sunday?’ The marathon runners will be taking water and blankets, and my own grandmother hasn’t had electricity for five days. Then, I got multiple text messages from friends saying it was cancelled.

How did you feel about the mayor’s decision?
Honestly, a weight was [lifted] off my shoulders. It was a relief in that I didn’t have to go in with a heavy heart. I was totally on board with the decision.

What’s next for you?
I’m very devoted to New York and the recovery efforts. I already donated my running shoes and marathon clothes to the relief and there’s a Jersey Shore marathon in May I signed up for.

Do you have any inspirational advice?
Running marathons is not for everyone but find something that works for you–something physical. There’s nothing like the sense of accomplishment of doing something you thought you couldn’t do. I marvel at myself every time I finish, its not bragging, I just can’t believe I did it.

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{Fitness} A Day in the Life of a FOF Body Builder

Working out has always been a crucial part of Connie Scaparo’s life. She’s been teaching aerobics since 1984, and works as the group fitness department head at Lifetime Fitness in Michigan. It had always been a dream for Connie to participate in a bodybuilding competition, and finally this year, with her two grown sons out of the house and her 50th birthday getting closer, she decided that there was no time like the present.

Even for someone who was FOFit to begin with, achieving her dream took major discipline. To wit, on a five-day cruise vacation while training, she didn’t eat bread or dessert. For 17 weeks, she didn’t miss a single day at the gym. “There were a few times I almost cried. I’d feel like there was no possible way I could do it,” says Connie.

But then, this October, Connie competed and placed in the John Simmons Classic Bodybuilding Figure Championship National Qualifier in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Read on to find out how she did it: the details of her intense workout regimen, strict diet and what kept her going even when she wanted to give up.

When did you start training for the competition?
On April 25th of this year I asked a member of our gym, Lynn, to help me train, since she’s a pro at figure competitions. She took my measurements and put together a lifting routine for me to follow. I officially started training on June 25th.

What was your workout regimen like?
I was at the gym seven days a week, for about two hours per day at the beginning, then up to three hours per day as the competition got closer. Monday through Friday I did reps, ending with the heaviest weights I could handle. On Saturdays I would do cardio, then work out the lower body. On Sundays I would do a circuit — working every muscle group using free weights, then work out my upper body. Three times a week, I would do high-interval, intensity training — 30 minutes on the Stairmaster, alternating between a comfortable pace and a fast pace so that my heartrate was constantly going up and down.

What did your diet consist of?
Lynn had me eating five meals per day — a meal every two and a half hours. At each meal I was allowed to eat four ounces of protein and two ounces of good fat such as almond butter, hummus, avocadoes, or nuts. Each day I was allowed two fruits and as many vegetables as I wanted. I also could have four ounces of a good carb per day, such as a sweet potato, after my workout, and one ‘free’ meal per week where I could eat anything I wanted, to shock my body and metabolism.

Eating this way must have required tons of advanced preparation!
If we were going shopping for the day I packed my food in advance. In July, my family and I went on a five-day cruise. Lynn had me make up 20 bags of protein powder to have as shakes, and 20 bags of nuts, so that I always had a protein and a fat with me on the ship. They were very accommodating [on the cruise]. I didn’t cheat once. Was I feeling deprived? Absolutely not.

Did you ever think about giving up at any point?
Yes. It’s hard when you start to feel like you’re [doing all this work but] not making changes to your body. But Lynn and my personal trainer Corey would say, ‘Hang tight Connie, it’s gonna happen!’ and it really did. You just tune your mind to it and say, ‘I want to do this. This is what I’ve gotta do.’

What was your competition outfit like?
I had to get special shoes–clear 5 inch heels that lengthen your legs. I had my suit custom made by Suits by Sassy in Michigan. I set up an appointment and looked at samples and choose a velvet royal blue suit with glitter.

How else did you prepare for the big day?
I practiced posing. My friend Kelly who has done competitions helped me practice walking. My coach came once a week to go over my workouts and my diet. I was drinking up to a gallon of water a day, and then three days before the competition I was at a gallon and a half. Then, I had to drop the water weight. I had a friend come to my house and spray tan me, and another friend did my makeup and hair.

What were your final measurements?
I went down to 112.4 pounds from 125.5 pounds and went down from 20.9% to 14% body fat.

Tell us about the competition.
The day of the competition I got the jitters and was all excited. Everything my trainer said would happen to my body came true. You really saw the definition with my spray tan. It was unbelieveable how my body had totally transformed.

What did you place?
I came in about 9th or 10th out of 12. This show was the national qualifier for the pro, so I was going against women who were trying to be pros. I had 35 year olds standing next to me. Now, I look at the photos and see what I need to tweak for the next one.

What advice do you have for women over fifty who want to do any type of competition?
If it’s something that you want to do, I say do it. It can be done.

{Giveaway} Not Done Yet Apparel

Carol April is giving away a studded water bottle, baseball cap, and a shirt of your choice from her line of inspirational apparel, Not Done Yet.  Enter to win by answering this question in the comments below: What are you looking forward to that you haven’t done yet?

FOF Carol April lost her friend Jenise to cancer in 2006. At her memorial, Jenise’s daughter spoke about her mother’s fight against cancer. She said that whenever people got too morose around her, Jenise would snap and say, “Give me a break, I’m not dead yet!”

“Not Dead Yet” evolved into “Not Done Yet,” and became the slogan of Carol’s company. “I started thinking about all that Jenise could have accomplished, which made me realize that our whole generation had more to give and to contribute,” says Carol. “I wasn’t ready to roll over and be dead, so, I started up this idea, and have been preaching it ever since.” Carol’s idea was to develop a line of apparel featuring the slogan “Not Done Yet.”

“We launched with just a couple of t-shirts,” says Carol. In 2008, she began selling her apparel at the California Governor’s Conference for Women, hosted by journalist Maria Schriver.   “Maria has extraordinary contacts and ties with speaker and journalists,” says Carol. “That’s when business started to pick up.  People would come back and tell me how much the messages on the shirts made a difference in their lives.”

A portion of all Not Done Yet sales go to three charities that are close to Carol’s heart–The The Noreen Fraser Foundation, Our House and The Alzheimer’s Association. “Noreen Fraser is a breast cancer survivor, and one of my closest friends,” says Carol, “The Noreen Fraser Foundation funds collaborative research for women’s cancers.” Our House is a local non-profit and non-denominational group support center that counsels children, teenagers, and adults through the grief of losing a loved one, a cause Carol empathizes with, since she lost her mother to cancer at age four. The Alzheimer’s Association is the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research. “So many of the boomer generation can identify with taking care of parents who have Alzheimer’s, or knowing other friends whose parents who are suffering from it,” says Carol.

Since launching Not Done Yet in 2008, Carol’s inspirational apparel has reached thousands of people. “We do gift baskets and support other charities throughout the year,” says Carol. “You can’t start a business at my age and not feel like you don’t have to give back. I feel blessed in my life, and want to get our message out there!”

Enter to win apparel from Not Done Yet by answering this question in the comments below: What are you looking forward to that you haven’t you done yet?

One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes November 15, 2012 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.

{Giveaway} 9-Day Isagenix® Cleansing System

FOF Sharlene May lost 12 pounds in nine days and 30 pounds in two months. Now, she’s giving away the tools that helped her do it–a 9-Day Isagenix® Cleansing System. Enter to win by answering this question in the comment section below: What fad diet have you tried?

After working in accounting for 30 years, Sharlene May left her job to pursue her dream of owning her own business. She started a women’s fitness club in 2003 to provide middle-aged women with a comfortable, non-intimidating environment to work out. Sharlene was also struggling with thirty pounds that she just couldn’t manage to lose. “With all the stress of having my own business, [the weight] just wasn’t budging,” she says. “I tried everything–the name brands, the fad diets. I would lose some weight, but then it would just come back when I started to eat normally.”

Sharlene’s friend, a nutritionist, recommended that she try Isagenix®–a system of nutritional cleansing and replenishing. Formulated as a full-body cleanse, the system addresses toxicity in the body. Sharlene says that our bodies will create fat to enrobe impurities to protect our vital organs. “I went on many diets, but I never addressed toxicity until then,” says Sharlene. “The typical result is very safe, very fast weight loss.”

Sharlene lost 12 pounds on her first 9 days of the program.  “I found that my energy returned, I could think more clearly, sleep better, and my day and night sweats went away!” Sharlene stayed on the program, and lost a total of 30 pounds in just eight weeks. After experiencing success, Sharlene decided that she would become a distributor. “I introduced it to my fitness club first, and then just by word of mouth,” says Sharlene. “When something works this well you want to tell people about it.”

In 2006 Sharlene sold her fitness club and started working full time as a distributor with Isagenix®, earning a six-figure income yearly. Sharlene not only sells the products, but coaches her clients through the process. “We have coaching emails and schedules,” says Sharlene. “My favorite calls are from over-50 women that tell me they have 20 pounds that won’t budge, because I know how successful they are going to be. Their results are phenomenal.”

Enter to win a 9-Day Isagenix® Cleansing System by answering this question in the comment section below: What fad diet have you tried?

If you’d like to learn more about joining Sharlene and becoming an Isagenix® distributor, click here.

Disclaimer:
Weight-loss results may vary. In a recent study, participants averaged a weight loss of  7 pounds at the completion of their first Isagenix® 9 Day Program. Always consult your physician before making any dietary changes or starting any nutrition, weight control or exercise program.

Earning levels for Isagenix® Independent Associates that appear in this publication should not be construed as representative of fixed or typical income earned with an Isagenix® business, nor are they intended to represent that other Associates will eventually achieve the same level of income. Income level achievements are dependent upon the individual Associate’s business skills, personal ambition, time, commitment, activity and demographic factors.

One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes October 25th, 2012 at midnight E.S.T. Contest limited to residents of the continental U.S.