“You want to work out but it's painful. Here's how to avoid the pity party. ”

If you are over a certain age, sometimes you just hurt. Muscles ache, joints don't want to bend as far, and just trying to tie your shoe feels risky. Those with fibromyalgia, MS, and other debilitating conditions are at the mercy of the disease and have to ride the wave of what pains the day brings. Injuries and illness can also put a wrench in our workout schedule or keep us from working to full potential. When we hurt, it's easy to chuck the workout, stay home and feel sorry for ourselves. In the olden days people in pain stayed in bed and they gave them a leather strap to bite on when the pain got unbearable. Sorry, but it's time to pitch the strap. Lying around will not make anything better, but is likely to make it a whole lot worse. First, talk to your doctor. Find out if you can (or should) be working out. What is too much? Can you push yourself? What are your limits? Studies are showing that for fibromyalgia sufferers, exercise actually reduces flare-ups and severity. If your doctor okays you for exercise, fight against the desire to skip your workout and you may be surprised how much less pain you're in down the line.

“You know you need to start thinking about your health, someday. Welcome to someday.”

Anne Frank wrote, "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." The same is true for changing ourselves. We don't have to wait until the kids are older, until our jobs are less demanding, until the weather gets better, or until the rest of the nacho chips are gone. All it takes is a decision to "do" and then the doing of it. Tomorrow never comes so stop waiting for it. Start on your plan to change your life today. Once you start, you'll be amazed at how freeing it is to finally be on the path instead of waiting to begin.

“Be yourself! Here's how to be the self that you really want to be.”

What motivates you? If you're like many, seeing others succeed can be a biggie. It may not even be that they are moving toward goals that you are after, yet the fact that they are goal "getters" is inspirational. How many of us look at people gasping for air as they climb the stairs and think, "Wow, I hope I can be like that some day?" or look at the person going back the fifth time at the buffet and think, "They can sure put away the food...good for them." No one. We want to aspire to be confident, successful, healthy, and happy. If you're looking to improve on yourself, find out what goals you need to work toward. Thinking about who you admire and why you admire them may help you find your path to the real you.

Hello everybody, the Military just moved us to Fort Lee, VA and now I am trying to find a good Hospital that can take care of my medically necessary tummy tuck.

I had my Gastric Bypass in 2011 at the Madigan Army Medical Hospital in WA and before leaving the area I had an appointment with my surgeon. He told me that I could receive a tummy tuck without charge since it is medically necessary to remove all the  lose skin that I have (at least 15 to 18 pounds worth).

I am starting to have a lot of back pain and I need to get it done as soon as possible.

I am usually pretty scared when it comes to Hospitals so I am looking for a Clinic/Hospital where the staff incl. the Doctors are friendly and have good bedside manors. Of course the Hospital has to except TRICARE as well!

Can anybody on this message board recommend a good Hospital and a very good surgeon?

Thank you for any help in this matter!