P90X

Okay, so I know that I am the trainer and am supposed to be designing the workouts but I've fallen in love with P90X. I first saw it on an infomercial and wanted it but it was pretty expensive. Then I heard of all these people that did the program and loved it and decided that I needed to do it. I am always looking for fun new ways to exercise and this definitely fits the bill. I recently got a copy of all the DVD's from a friend of mine (thanks Tyler) and now I am ready to start. I'm just waiting for Bethany to send me the info so I can do it the way it's designed to be followed. I did CardoX on Monday and really liked it. I have 11 more videos to try and can't wait! I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

So I guess my exercise tip today is to find something new and exciting to do. Don't get bored in your old routine by doing the same things over and over. Always look for a different activity to "shake" things up! If you run, try walking hills. If you bike, try a stair stepper. If you only do classes, try cardio machines and weights. If you only lift weights, try adding 1-2 minutes of cardio inbetween sets. If you do all these things, drop them and try a program like Body-For-Life or P90X.

Good luck!

Slacker

I am a complete and udder slacker. Life gets busy and I quit blogging for Tough Girl. So I am here to say I am sorry and I will be adding more posts in the coming months. Thanks for being patient.

Tip of the Week:

Food is just food and nothing more. It is not a reward, a punishment, or a favorite pastime. Get over it. Food is fuel for our bodies. The better fuel we put in, the better performance we get out. End of story.

Goal of the Week:

Eat breakfast within 2 hours of waking every morning this week. Good examples are: eggs with toast and fruit; PB&J sandwich on whole wheat; yogurt, fruit, and a handful of nuts; oatmeal; cold cereal like Cheerios, Kashi, FiberOne, etc. with skim milk and fruit.

There you have it. A tip and goal for the week. Come back next week for an update. Leave your comments and let me know how things are going.

Fidget to fight fat:

In a recent study, scientists from the Mayo Clinic issued motion-sensing skivvies to 10 heavy people and 10 thin ones, then recorded even their tiniest movements 24 hours a day. Ten days later they found that overweight people simply moved less than their lean companions, burning 350 fewer calories per day. To get yourself "fidgeting," plop down on a stability ball for 15 minutes each hour and use it to keep yourself in perpetual motion.

A Mother of a Workout

I am cutting down to a tip of the week instead of daily. Just in time for Mother's Day, I have a tip for working out with your kids. Depending on how big or little they are you may need to adjust. When I am stuck in a hotel room with no way to go out and run and no weights in site I turn to my kids for resistance training. Here are a few exercises that are my favorites:

Push up: Let your child sit or lie on your back to add extra weight to some basic push ups.

Dip: Sit your kid on your lap, slide off the chair with hands right next to your hips, bend at the elbows to lower yourself to the floor and then press back to starting. This works the triceps.

Curl and Press: Works biceps and shoulders; Start standing up holding your child under their arms, arms straight. Bend elbows to bring the little bugger's face to your face (bicep curl), kiss if needed, then press them into the air over your head (overhead shoulder press) and reverse the motion.

Squats and lunges: Put 'em on your back or shoulders and squat and lunge until your hearts content (beating hard).

Leg extension: Sitting on a sturdy chair (or on the edge of a swimming pool) let your kids sit on your feet and hug your shins. While holding them in place extend knees so legs are straight then lower. You'll feel it, but I'll tell you it works the quadriceps, or front part of the thigh.

Core: Any ab exercise can be done with your child sitting on your stomach. What this does is force you to keep the abdominal wall contracted throughout the movement which means extra work for the core.

Happy Mother's Day to all!