Women Tackle Stress Head-On With Exercise (NAPS)}—Womenface increasing demands today as they balance work and family with little if any timeleft for themselves. Also, many women are fraught with worry about their future as a result of a challenging economy. According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a comprehensive measure of the state of Americans’ health declined to a noteworthy degree in 2008, reflecting, in part, the emotional and physical strain the financial crisis has put on society. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through physical fitness will be important for women as they seek ways to deal with rising stress levels. How? Adopting a fitness routine that suits your lifestyle is a great way to combatthe ill effects of these challenging times. Doing so with other like-minded women is even better—and Aflac Iron Girl, the nation’s premier all-women’s event series, offers women an opportunity to do just that. With 10 events nationwide, ranging from 10K and 5K run/walks to duathlons and triathlons, Aflac Iron Girl National Event Series events empower womenofall ages andfitness levels to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Sound daunting? Consider Laura Lane, an executive ata financial services company. Professionally inundated with the economic recession, she found this past year to be one of the most stressful of herlife. “Now more than ever, my training for Aflac Iron Girl events has beencritical in helping me deal with the stress of my current work environment as my companytries to work its way out of the financial crisis,” said Lane. Focusing on performing well in the event gets her up each morning and workingout. She has a fresh perspective andbetter outlook that helps her through the day. e al] Women can get a jump-start to leading a healthylifestyle by par- ticipating in the Aflac Iron Girl. However, the economyis not the sole source of stress among today’s women. Family concerns also weigh heavily. Recently, Ellianne Rivers stepped out of her comfort zone to reduce someof the stress associated with her son Jake’s medical condition. She’s decided to train for her first triathlon—the Aflac Iron Girl—in honor of Jake overcoming leukemia. During Jake’s five years of intense treatment at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Ellianne didn’t have the time or energy to take care of herself. She knows the training will be intense, but she’s enthusiastic about the journey. “T’ve never done a triathlon before,” she said. “My goal is to inspire others to attempt some- thing they haven’t tried before.” Whether your stress stems from the economy, your family or the impossible juggling act you’re balancing, a healthy and active lifestyle will equip you to tackle it today. Participating in an Aflac Iron Girl event can help you become a healthier, less stressed version of yourself. To learn more, and for event registration, visit aflacirongirl.com and TronGirl.com.
