Can't find time to exercise with all the chores you have to do? Sweep yourself into shape.

My son and I are having a great time watching the Olympics. And, though neither of us knew much (read: anything) about the sport, the women's sabre competition was particularly fun to watch. As the US sweeped bronze, silver, and gold, my son and I sat in our living room and cheered. But as we were watching the battle for the gold vs. silver medal, my son kept asking "Mom, what's happening?" I couldn't answer, so I did some searching online.

Fencing is a technical sport that develops agility and quick movement. Dueling athletes advance and retreat using careful footwork, looking for their chance to thrust or parry for a score. In advanced competitions, like the Olympics, combatants wear electronic padding that helps determine scoring. If you want to look into fencing, use the fencing.com search feature to find a club near you.

Do you want to train like a fencing athlete? Try this taxing routine from fencing.com.

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I have been thinking about getting bangs cut into my hair for ages. I believe I first got the notion after watching the Devil Wears Prada and admiring Anne Hathaway's super cool fringe. Granted she seems to have great hair all the time but something about those bangs made me wonder if I could attempt something similar.

After that I found myself noticing women on the street who had a fringe. Whether the bangs swooped to the side, were ultra-short or cut straight across their eye line, I thought they all looked pretty great. So after weeks of careful deliberation I took the plunge and headed to the hairdresser.

Before I the cutting began, we had a chat about which of the various fringe styles would best suit me. I didn't think I could pull off the cute but really short look and didn't think the swoop would be a dramatic enough change. So we agreed to try that straight across the forehead, just above the eyes style. I was nervous to begin with because if the look didn't work for me I had no idea how I'd hide it while my hair grew back out.

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I tend to be an annoyingly fast walker. I always loved the 'bushwack' position when leading Sierra Club group backpacking trips -- bushwacks remain in front of the pack navigating the route. I dreaded the 'sweep' position, which meant I hiked in the rear of the pack, making sure to sweep all the stragglers from point A to point B. Hiking slower than my normal pace is physically and psychologically painful, especially when carrying a load.

New research following 500 older people for nearly a decade found quicker walkers were less likely to die. Nine years after initial gait speed was measured, 77 percent of slow walkers had died, compared to only 50 percent of medium speed and 27 percent of fast walkers. Gait speed may enhance your survival, even in people who appear generally healthy. Another study just released found people who improved their walking gait reduced risk of death.

Next time my husband tells me to slow down, I'll inform him I'm giving my longevity a workout!

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