“Shape-shifting” is something most women know about all too well. As the years pile on, so do unwanted pounds that-even among those who remain relatively slim-can literally change the body’s contours.
“One may go from an hourglass to more of a shot glass,” says Dr. Pamela Peeke, a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, best-selling author and creator of the “Body For Life For Women Workout” DVD (rodale store.com). “Aging gracefully is all a matter of girth control.”
Not to mention understanding women’s hormones.
It’s Peeke’s assertion that recognizing what she calls “women’s unique hormonal hard-wiring” is key to achieving and maintaining a peak body for life. There are four hormonal milestones involved:
• Teens and Twenties. This is when estrogen production rises. Women who were skinny teens may suddenly find weight going to their breasts, hips and thighs. This is the time to build a strong fitness foundation that can last the rest of your life. It’s also a good time to build muscle tone and...