Once while having an echocardiogram to test for heart damage from the breast cancer drug Herceptin, my technician asked me if I was a runner. "I do run," I told him, and then asked how he knew. He told me I had a really low resting heart rate, something runners often have. He seemed impressed by my low number. I was flattered.

Many athletes pride themselves on a low resting heart rate. It means they're in good physical shape and their hearts don't need to pump as hard, say the experts from Reader's Digest. Translation: Low heart rate folks have less risk for heart problems. Higher rates mean the heart needs more oxygen, and the cardiovascular system gets stressed.

The best way to reduce your heart rate is to exercise regularly. While working on your fitness, shoot for this healthy resting heart rate range: 55-65 heartbeats per minute.

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Despite media attention and public service campaigns, obesity in the US has risen over the past year. No states had a decline in obesity and 37 states reported increases in obesity. At least 20% of adults are obese in every state except for Colorado. As recently as 1991, no states had an obesity rate that exceeded 20%.

It's clear that more public campaigns are needed to halt this harmful rise in public health. Better food choices and nutrition programs in schools as well as an increase in physical education opportunities. More public opportunities and programs for fitness. Walkable communities that promote -- not hinder -- an active lifestyle. The options are limitless, really. But public programs and campaigns will never take the place of personal responsibility. While an infrastructure that encourages a healthy lifestyle is necessary, people also need to take control of their own health.

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Are you working your butt off but noticing not much of a change in your body? Could be something simple holding you back. Like your posture.

Slumping while doing cardio ups your heart rate, says one recent study cited in Prevention magazine. The result: Your workout is harder. Try pulling back your shoulder blades next time you hop on your favorite machine and you'll notice that you're able to take in more oxygen. Your pace should pick up. And you'll burn more calories too.

A little posture goes a long way. Give it a try.

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When you think of the people who've made you mad, done you wrong, sent your blood boiling, do you get all flustered? Does your heart start racing? This is what happens to many folks when they recall a past slight against them, reports a Psychological Science study cited in May's Women's Health magazine.

Blood pressure and heart rates increase to nearly twice the normal rate when some people think about vengeful situations. Conjuring up thoughts of ill will can cause repeated periods of stress and can ultimately lead to cardiovascular damage. The good news is this: When people imagine forgiveness, their stats return to normal.

Next time you get all worked up about a past nemesis, be sure to call up some memories of making amends. If forgiveness is not part of the equation, try to recall what was true about the situation -- leave out all four-letter words -- and focus on wishing your one-time enemy well.

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File this one under "Myth Busted!" They aren't really sure where the urban legend came from, but the thought of suicides going up during Christmas time is simply that... a myth.

Statistics from the Provident Life Crisis Services hot line show that on Christmas day, the phone will ring about 40 times. On other days, director Susan Self says they could get about 100 calls. Apparently December 25th and New Year's Eve fail to provoke any more suicides than any other day! The reason this myth could have become so popular might be due to the press and how they used to reference suicides this time of year.

Then again, perpetuation of this thinking might come from classic movies like "It's A Wonderful Life." Anyone could see why such happy occasions might cause others to feel so blue. But in reality, numbers prove that spring and fall are actually the peak seasons for suicides. Now, it's hard to debunk a myth based on a suicide hot line alone, but research actually indicates a decline during the winter. I was personally under the impression shorter days might have something to do with it. But that doesn't seem to be the case -- after all, it's the most wonderful time of the year!

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Ever heard of metronomes? We all have one and if we'd like to make our exercise walks a bit more pleasant, we'd be wise to tune into these internal pace-setting mechanisms in our bodies.

When we walk, we pay attention to all sorts of messages sent from outside our bodies -- like beautiful scenery, crosswalk signs, bikes that pass us by, and cars zipping around. But paying attention to what comes from inside our bodies can lead to smoother, more enjoyable walks.

We all have two forms of rhythm -- breathing and heart rate. Let's start with breathing.

We have a natural breathing pattern we may not even be aware of. When we exercise, breathing becomes very important because our bodies need more air to move us long. Next time you go out for a power walk, try to coordinate the rhythm of your steps with the rhythm of your breathing. Breathe in for two steps and breathe out for two steps -- or use whatever count works best for you. Regardless, you'll see what a difference this makes for your walking.

Now for heart rate. When we exert ourselves physically, our hearts pump blood at a faster rate than when we're resting. The harder we work, the faster our hearts pump. Get a sense of your own personal pump as you walk and then try to coordinate this beat with your steps. Coordinating your three rhythms -- steps, breath, and heart beats -- will make you feel a whole better.

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Those women with high blood pressure may be three times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to new research out of the U.S. this week.

Several researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital along with Harvard researchers concluded that it tracked 38,000 female health professionals for more than 10 years.

The results: 9.4 percent of the women in the group having high blood pressure developed type 2 diabetes, while only 5.7 percent of the normal group (without high blood pressure) had developed the same.

Moral to the story: if you're female and have consistent high blood pressure, you may want to do further research into getting it to a normal, safe level.

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Yesterday, I published a post citing the fact that 95 percent of those who successfully lose weight somehow go on to regain the unwanted pounds within a few years. Now I've happened upon this statistic: 50 percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first three to six months.

Hey, it happens. I know. In my combined 37 years on this planet, I've cycled in and out of exercise programs more times than I care to count. And while I seem to be doing OK right now -- I do something fitness-related every day -- there's just no telling what might throw me off my course. That's why I always try to remember why I exercise.

I exercise for energy -- even when I'm tired, I force myself to do something. Inevitably, I feel recharged when I'm done. I exercise for strength -- I want strong bones, strong muscles, arms powerful enough to hoist my littlest growing boy into the air on occasion. I exercise for a lean body -- I've seen results, and I don't want to lose them. I exercise for a healthier heart -- my low resting heart rate always tips off my doctors that I'm challenging myself aerobically. I exercise for peace of mind -- I need to escape the madness of my family unit now and then, and I always feel invigorated when I return home. I exercise to boost my mood, ease my worries, diminish my stress, refocus my thoughts, recharge my spirit, and perhaps most important: To keep breast cancer from paying me a return visit. Recent research links five weekly hours of strenuous exercise to a pretty significant cut in breast cancer risk. That's reason enough for me to keep huffing and puffing.

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Alright, I have to say that I find it hard to accept that women feel more pain than men. However, according to this article, numerous studies have shown otherwise. I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong, but I don't know if the evidence provided sways my opinion very much.

The piece states that, not only are women hurting more than men, but that they rate the pain that they feel at much more intense levels than do men. It also says though, that studies are based on how each sex feels about their pain, rather than some sort of actual scientific measure. They give various theories on why girls and guys may feel differently about the aches that they experience, including possible genetic links. I think it may be more cultural. Perhaps men just don't want to admit that they're hurting?

In the end, I'm really not bothered either way about who lives with more pain. It's just a fact of life that everyone is going to experience it at some point. I guess I just find it hard to accept since women are the ones giving birth! What hurts more than that? But I suppose that IS the point of the study. Women know that they experience some huge, intense pain during childbirth and other situations. I guess it's just how we all (men AND women) deal with it that counts.

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There have been lots of blogs over the last couple of months about getting in shape for summer. It is that time of year when many of us are feeling a bit desperate to lose a few pounds or tone up a few jiggly spots in time to hit the beach. A great way to speed up your progress is to speed up your metabolism.

Some people are born with a fast metabolism, meaning the chemical reactions in their cells occur at a pretty quick rate, so they burn off fat and calories more easily than those with slow metabolisms. According to this article though, there are ways to speed up your metabolic rate, which will help decrease the amount of time it takes to fit into a new bathing suit.

I've heard that eating spicy food helps, but that isn't one of the tips listed. However, it does say to drink lots of green tea to speed up the rate at which calories are burned and to increase the amount of protein you eat to help facilitate fat loss. Check out the article for more tips as well as explanations on how each will help you get yourself in shape a little bit quicker.

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A common challenge of exercise is figuring out how hard you should work. There are a few options to calibrate the ideal effort you should be putting forth, but most require too much math to make them great mid-workout options. I like the Keep It Simple Stupid version called the Talk Test.

For the average healthy individual who is trying to improve overall fitness, including cardiovascular and lung capacity, these are the rules.

• If you can have a full blown conversation during an aerobic workout you should be working harder.
• If you can't talk at all, even to scream "help!", you are working too hard.
• If you are huffing and puffing, but still have enough wind to tell your partner or trainer, "I can't wait to get this over with"...your pace is juuuuuust right.

Reading the recent blog here on That's Fit about "Why men ignore their wives" prompted me into a little fun research myself. So if men ignore their wives, why do women put up with it? The websites were endless. WOW. It seems that women tolerate a lot of certain behaviors from their spouses like being ignored, being fussed at or looked down upon and even being abused physically because of cultural beliefs, economic factors and personal fears. There is the disgrace of being a statistic, of being a divorcee. With our divorce rate hovering somewhere between 50 percent and 60 percent it is not hard to see that men and women really can not get along. Maybe the high divorce rate can be contributed to being ignored. wink wink...

But one study in particular stood out to me on why divorce rates are climbing. It emphasized that attraction in the work place between men and women has always been relevant but men had always held the dominant jobs in the work force. But that statistic is changing with women bosses increasing and more jobs like doctors, lawyers, police officers, fire fighters, and even politics with many women now leading in congress and the senate. Women are beginning to have equality in leadership roles. Many women who do well professionally find few men who are secure enough to be with them.

Being a man and being masculine are two different things. A man is a boy who has reached a certain age. A masculine man is a boy who has finally matured as an adult. Some men never reach that maturity. So I guess women have to look at being ignored by their husbands the same way they look at their children that ignore them when asked to do their chores.

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