Congratulations to the 30 teacher trainees who have done the 200-Hour YogaWorks Teacher Training since the beginning of January 2010 through the end of this month of March. Next weekend includes our final session, and it has been my pleasure assisting the teaching, working with all of you, and getting to know your wonderful, special, individual spirits. Good Luck on the final practicum and testing. I wish you all the best on your graduation and your new awakened yogic path ahead.
Feeling good today. My weight is going in the correct direction and I caned it in the gym this morning. Had a really hard workout and was buzzing afterwards. I ate pretty well and I’m really focussing on eating for nutrition and with that being my focus it’s much easier to eat well.
For this week, I’m going to eat at home for the whole week and I’m really hoping that by the end of the week, I’ll be in the low 64kgs mark. I know that means I’ll have to be committed to eating well for the entire week. It can’t just be today, but I feel like I have a good goal and I want to get there. Not only do I want to get there, I really need to get there.
On my way to dinner with friends Stephanie and Ethan, our entrance to the subway was blocked, or at least shared with, two men who had converted the subway platform into a gym. The “downtown 42nd street” sign hanging from the ceiling became a pullup bar. The exit sign was now an anchor for the tricep pulldown bands. And low and behold, one of the guys was doing pushups on the floor. You do know what a subway floor looks like right? Yes, I know that swimsuit season is just around the corner. And we all have to do what we have to do to look good. But, really fellas?
So yesterday was day one of shredding and i made pizza for dinner! My eating was good, and my pizza was extra good! Lawrence loved his and wanted a second one! (he didnt get it!) Next time i could rustle up some chips with his!
It was pretty simple, i just topped a tortilla wrap (it wasn’t wholewheat though, woops!) with some tomato puree and a sprinkling of parsley, i then added some sauteed yellow pepper, mushrooms and spinach (L just had pepper) and topped with slices of pre-cooked chicken and a grating of reduced fat mozerella cheese. Voila!
(sorry for crappy iphone pics, L took my camera home to charge overnight so i should get it today all nice and charged )
Then just grilled it until the side of the tortilla went crispy and the cheese melted.
Soo yummy and i’m not even a big fan of pizza! Lawrence was sceptical about the tortilla wrap, but he loved it! (and so did i) Where it crisps up around the edge is super tasty!
Lawrence’s was a little less colourful…
.. just tomato puree, yellow pepper, chicken and lotsa bbq sauce (he hates cheese! *gasp*)
You should definately try these!! Go, now!
As for today, i’ve had my breakfast that didn’t include peanut butter, shock horror!! I had hot banana yogoats topped with cinnamon and maple syrup and am now waiting for it to digest before i start shredding it. I can already feel it in my thighs and calves after yesterday, they hurt! Today, i know i will feeeeeel the burn!
I’ll drink up my definity shake after shredding. Still debating on lunch… whether to have a chicken burger sandwich with sweet potato fries or a Sausage & cheese wrap with baked crisps. Probably the later, with a protein muffin &PB for dessert. (First attempt wasn’t too good)
Today is Friday, which i am pleased about in one way (its the weekend soon woooo!) and not so pleased in another way (Friday is my late shift, i don’t finished until 7:30 & don’t get a break Standing for 6.5 hours is pretty boring!!) So i’ve packed up 2 snacks to eat throughout the afternoon, a definity crisp bar and 2/3 of fage 0% with 1/2 banana, some black grapes and 1 sq crumbled dark chocolate. Yummy!! I may eat 1/2 bowl of Covent Garden’s winter vegetable soup (soo good and high protein!) when i get home, depends if i am hungry or not! I’ll probably just want to collapse in my bed
Whenever you put on excess excess fat you become vulnerable to diseases such as heart problems, diabetes and stroke etc. So whenever you put on fat you should take dropping weight seriously and loose the weight quickly to regain your fitness and looks. There are numerous ways of fast excess fat loss but the best way to lose fat is naturally as the excess fat loss will likely be permanent and a are going to be a wholesome bodyweight loss. The healthy way concentrates on having the correct diet and nutrition. Healthy means of sacrificing the belly fat will give you the desired outcomes.
You will discover some folks who stop eating breakfast for sacrificing excess fat. This is often a most unscientific and incorrect way of sacrificing pounds and you will head towards disaster. Breakfast is widely considered as the most important meal on the day and skipping that will leave you without the power to perform daily tasks. As being a matter of fact about 30 % of the day’s nourishment will need to be had within the breakfast. Trying to avoid the breakfast will cause over eating at lunch and dinner resulting a further excess fat acquire.
Starving also isn't a way of losing excess fat as it makes your physique think that there isn’t sufficient food out there, so it tries to save power in the form of fat; which outcomes in further fat acquire. If you eat regularly your body will not locate it required to save fat and being a result no bodyweight acquire. So having a balanced diet plan is the key.
One pure way of dropping weight is changing the consuming routine. Rather than consuming 3 meals a day, split the same meal to 5-6 times a day within a gap of 3 hours. This will increase metabolism, effortlessly digest the smaller meals and as a result a continuous supply of nourishment to the body is provided. Nonetheless ensure that you're eating nutritious food only. Have a diet rich in fiber and drink lots of water. You also should do some sort of exercise which is suitable to you to lose excess fat.
I chosen the cognomen of this post after reading a couple of articles from other trainers that stir up rapid “fatloss”. They now preach about how intense might training workouts will cause rapid fat burning while building muscle. Its relative to time I have been waiting for years to hear this.
For years populace have been told that doing tons of cardio will help you be deprived of weight (remember they said weight not fat), while a small cluster of us have been saying for years strength training + cardio is the high~ to go. I took a lot of heat for me not jumping in c~tinuance the cardio weight loss ban wagon. I was told that my appellation of training was only for top athletes and not for the ecumenical public. My response has always been, “the scale will falsehood to you, but your clothes will never lie to you.” By the habit, I have trained thousands of people and have never had single in kind of them not reach their fitness
Now people are hearing ready how bootcamps and functional strength training is now the best manner to go. The funny thing is that when I was a young goat, we got in shape using some of the methods that are used today to persuade in shape. Rope climbing, flipping tires, climbing trees (pull ups), pushups, situps, etc. We were in the most of all shape.
Then the cardio phase came along, followed by weight lifting that single your muscle. Then we got into what I call the idle phase, just accept me for me, if I don’t act out it doesn’t matter. Now look at us, our the community is in the worst shape it has ever been in. So a little while ago we are back to old school methods and seeing dramatic results.
Also at this moment the focus is on fat loss not on weight loss. Which is to what it is suppose to be. The problem in the past is that while people equated weight loss with being in shape, they did not take in the certainty that if you exercise wrong and don’t eat unswerving you will lose muscle as well as a little fat, mete mostly muscle. While your body tries to store the fat for the cause that of a bad fitness program.
Now we are back on the unswerving track, so if your out their wanting to get in cast , find a personal trainer that is promoting functional strength training simultaneously with proper nutrition and get started now. Don’t wait!!!
Last month when I was in Chicago, M. joined the gym near our apartment. He also signed me up. This isn’t a bad thing; it’s just the opposite. Belonging to a gym and actually going is part of our make up. Besides writing about exercise, I actually like to partake in it. Without it, I am not sure I would have survived my divorce, ran a half marathon on a whim, or lost 50 of the 60 pounds I gained during pregnancy. Since we moved back to California, I haphazardly would take walks or go to the track near our house for a workout. Honestly, life seemed a bit harder because exercise wasn’t a regular occurrence.
I have been a gym member for a month and last night was the first time I stepped through the doors. The proverbial seal was broken. It was great. I felt great. And everything seemed right in the world. Except for the fact that I’m a bit out of shape…but not for long.
When it comes to elliptical trainers there is no one player who dominates the entire price range of models. There are different manufacturers who excel at different prices. For example, Icon Fitness rules the sub $1,000 price range through their various subsidiaries, including ProForm, Image, Weslo, Reebok and Nordic Track. The high-end is dominated by companies like Life Fitness and Precor.
In the mid-range category you have a number of contenders, but one company that is worth noting is Smooth Fitness. They are building quality elliptical trainers at a price that makes them a good value.
Selling Direct to the Consumer
For those unfamiliar with Smooth Fitness, they predominantly sell on the Internet. In fact, you cannot find their elliptical trainers at any stores. Their value proposition is to sell direct, thus cutting out the expenditure of the middleman.
Think about the expenses that are incurred when a company sells fitness equipment in a retail store. Besides the cost of the space, you also have to factor in the commissions paid to the salespeople. Selling online not only saves on retail costs, but also avoids the addition charge of local taxes. That can add up.
It should be noted that Smooth Fitness makes some exagerated claims regarding the reduction in price. That is typical marketing hype. And although you may not be saving over 40% on an elliptical trainer, you could be saving 5%-15% in comparison to purchasing through a retail store.
Smooth Fitness was one of the first businesses to sell high-end fitness equipment online. Initially they private labeled other brands like Spirit, Keys and Kettler. Approximately 5 years ago they started designing and manufacturing their own fitness equipment. In ten years they went from minor player to their recent inclusion in the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide, 2006-07 Edition. SmoothFitness.com came in at number 277 on the overall list, and was ranked the 15th largest e-tailer in the Sporting Goods category.
Smooth Elliptical Trainers Offer Value
The line-up of Smooth elliptical trainers is a perfect example why they have become a major player in the fitness equipment industry in such a short period of time. Their machines are engineered to be durable and yet provide a rewarding workout. For example, the Smooth CE 3.2 offers one of the better values in the $1,500+ price range. It is designed with a rear drive, which many find preferable, and claim it provides a smoother motion.
The machine itself weighs a hefty 175 lbs, adding to the stability. You get ergonomic pivoting foot pedals, that further reduce strain and impact. It comes standard with wireless heart rate control, for those who like to control and optimize their workout through their heart rate. You get a lifetime warranty on the frame and electromagnetic brake system, in addition to a 2 year parts and 1 year labor warranty.
One feature I particularly like is the built-in heart rate sensors in the upper handlebars. You will find that most elliptical trainers have heart rate monitors, but they are built into stationary handlebars. In order to get your heart rate you have to discontinue the upper body workout and hold onto the stationary handles, which defeats the purpose of the dual action workout.
Smooth Fitness currently has three elliptical trainers that are priced from $1,300-$2,000, they are the Smooth CE 2.1, 3.2 and 7.4. All their prices include shipping. Like other fitness equipment companies, the standard delivery is to your curbside. You may want to pay the extra few dollars to have their turnkey service, which includes inside delivery and set-up.
There is no question that there are better built elliptical trainers on the market. For example, Precor makes commercial grade elliptical trainers for the home. But they come with a commercial grade price, which is more than twice the cost of the Smooth Ellipticals. Of course, there are cheaper machines, but they are built with cheap components, which is reflected in a very limited warranty. The coverage is often 90 days parts and labor.
Combining quality and a moderate price, the Smooth elliptical trainers are one of the better values in the $1,000 – $2,000 price range.
By Laura Cozik
Athletic Director, CNN Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge
CEO, Team Lipstick Triathlon
In a triathlon, the swim is the shortest part of the race, but mentally the swim can be the most difficult part of the competition. In my opinion, it is just that type of adversity that makes triathlon so rewarding. Bring it on!! You must learn to embrace the open water, make friends with it, find peace in it, and enjoy the camaraderie of those around you. And in order to do that, you must prepare.
The following drills focus on improving your upper-body technique as well as your breathing. Since you’ll be using your legs to bike and run, a strong upper-body swim is the way to go in triathlon. And improving your lung capacity will help you to calm down and breathe easy when swimming. I am listing a few of my favorite swim drills, plus a few tips for the swim portion of the triathlon, focusing on your race-day experience. You can type the drills below into YouTube to see video demonstrations.
*Catch-up drill: A very popular drill, for a reason. The catch-up drill teaches swimmers to delay their catch, keeping the body more streamlined, focusing on a long stroke and a long body position. One arm goes through a full cycle of the freestyle swim stroke, while the other arm remains extended forward. When the stroking arm “catches up” to the arm that is extended forward, the waiting arm then takes a turn.
*Tennis ball drill: This is a great drill for teaching swimmers how to use their entire forearm when pulling under the water. Swim regular freestyle, but with a tennis ball in each hand. In this closed-fist position, swimmers have to use their entire forearm to pull themselves through the water. After practicing for a while, get rid of the tennis balls and try to perform the same good technique, but now with the added power of your hand!
*Fingertip drag: This drill encourages a high elbow during the recovery phase of the swim stroke, when the arm is out of the water. As the arm exits the water, fingertips drag along the surface of the water before re-entering. This should be done very relaxed.
*Group swimming: The triathlon swim is a contact sport, so practice swimming in small, close proximity groups. You can swim 3-4 athletes side by side in one lane of the pool, or maybe a small cluster of 6-7 athletes. Get used to feeling other arms and legs while swimming. It’s nice to know you’re not alone!
*Sighting: There are many ways to practice sighting- the skills that allow you to swim in a straight line toward your intended location, while in open water. One of my favorites is to swim directly toward someone in your lane. Just before you bump heads, swim around each other (to the right or left, but that should be decided ahead of time), then swim back where you came from. You’ll have to sight a LOT.
*Hypoxic sets: Improving your lung capacity when swimming is key! When you bike or run, you can breathe as often as you like, but when you swim, you have to follow a timed pattern. Doing hypoxic drill sets will help to improve your lung capacity. One way is to try swimming a 25 meter lane, from one end to the other, without breathing at all! Take a break when you get to the other side until you feel completely recovered, then repeat. Do about 4 of these during every swim workout and watch them improve!
Here are some other tips that will be helpful during your triathlon swim:
*You must, must, must practice swimming in open water prior to race day. If the race allows you a practice swim the day prior, or minutes prior to start time, DO IT! Get rid of the fear of the unknown before the gun goes off.
*Wear a wetsuit, for warmth and buoyancy. Practice swimming in it, and especially removing it, prior to race day.
*Find the objects you plan on sighting during your swim, just prior to race start. Buoys are good, but sometimes it’s also beneficial to find a building, a particular object, or something that is not actually IN the water to sight.
*Choose your goggles according to the clearness of the day. Orange is my favorite tint as it brightens up a cloudy day, and also cuts the glare of a sunny day.
If you are nervous, think “just keep swimming, just keep swimming”, or whatever mantra helps you. You can also picture the cocktails and friends that will be waiting at the celebration that night.
Keep up the good work with your training, and please send any questions you may have about triathlon training.
Editor’s Note: Medical news is a popular but sensitive subject rooted in science. We receive many comments on this blog each day; not all are posted. Our hope is that much will be learned from the sharing of useful information and personal experiences based on the medical and health topics of the blog. We encourage you to focus your comments on those medical and health topics and we appreciate your input. Thank you for your participation.
The newest cardio equipment that has hit the fitness market is the elliptical training equipment. It gives individuals full and low impact body workouts. However, people must learn if these machines have been living up on the beneficial claims.
The University of Wisconsin’s researchers known as La Crosse have compared the motorized treadmill from the NordicTrack Ellipse elliptical trainer. They focused on parts like the cycle ergometer and stairstepper to determine the differences among the provided exercise modes of both equipments. Their study revealed that running a treadmill and Ellipse displays no important differences in terms of heart rate, calorie expenditure, and oxygen consumption. Both equipments have provided superior workouts on its test subjects over the cycle ergometer and stairstepper.
The researchers also discovered that impact forces that are produced by the Ellipse is similar to walking, while running a treadmill became the number one activity in providing maximum amounts of exercise impact, which could cause knee and joint pain. John Porcari who is the lead researcher explained that the Ellipse ground forces reaction is less than a half, compared to treadmill running, thus the motion of each equipment is giving workouts with similar intensity. Moreover, orthopedic injury is less likely to be acquired.
The ACE (American Council on Exercise) commissioned a recent study headed by Doctor Len Kravitz. It was conducted at the University of Mississippi camparing 4 elliptical trainer’s overall qualities.
The equipment being tested are the NordicTrack’s Ellipse selling at $599.95 dollars, the ICON Health and Fitness, Incorporated’s HealthRider Elliptical Crosstrainer at $499.99 dollars, the Guthy-Renker’s Power Train at $199.80 dollars, and the Quantum Television’s Cyclone Crosstrainer at $399 dollars.
Seven women and seven men performed the rigorous elliptical trainer testing. The four elliptical trainers surprisingly displayed similar test outcomes including perceived exertion ratings, calorie expenditure, heart rate, and stride speed. The perceived exertion ratings range from 12.5-13 correlating to a challenging yet a comfortable workout. The ACE’s study on each equipments revealed that effective workouts are given to both women and men. Their burnt calorie was equivalent to an 11.5 minutes mile running or a powerful aerobic dancing.
University of Mississippi’s researchers also surveyed each machine’s personal responses on the provided test subjects. The overall preferences based from the fourteen participants have ranked the equipments from the top to the least of their favorites. The Ellipse is on the top of the list, second was the HealthRider, third was the Power Train, and the last was the Cyclone. Nevertheless, Consumer Reports magazine have recently reported problems on the Ellipse in the form of durability failures. Needless to say the researchers and test subjects have proven the effectiveness of NordicTrack’s Ellipse.
The research team of Dr. Kravitz also provided their comments. Five out of seven women has been hit on the knees by the Cyclone’s center guard panel. The HealthRider started to make an extremely loud noise on its metal parts after a one hour use.
Moreover, Kravitz stated that the Cyclone and the Power Train appears to be made inexpensively to have a competitive price. The HealthRider is a product launched before it’s ready but it’s very smooth when running on it and gives a highly satisfactory service although the quality has not been tested. The ellipse compared to other equipment is more solidly built, feels smooth, runs smooth, and the most durable.
The studies from both universities lend credibility on the elliptical trainer’s effectiveness. Make sure you thoroughly do your own research prior to purchasing any fitness equipment including elliptical trainers.
as i type this i should be at the o2 about to watch what promises to be a stellar performance by the stereophonics, but alas, i am at home sitting in my dads chair with the laptop propped up on my lap, tapping away at another head girl application ‘pitch’ type essay which is due in for friday – i only found out about it this afternoon and i have to do it now because i’m out all day tomorrow n a field trip to darling chafford hundred (yippee) followed by dinner at daniels. i’ gutted i’m missing them because i haven’t before but this is just an exercise in assessing my priorities – which is better, a two hours gig or the possibility of a year-long post of incredible responsibility, being either a head girl or senior prefect for an entire year?
… the thrill of completing such a task has taken its toll it is near on two hours later than when i first started to type this post – it has taken two hours to successfully write 146 words. oh dear.
on a lighter note it would appear that my enthusiasm for all things gym related has been restored with the revival of a new found motivation to feel my feet pounding on the treadmill. somehow that dull, monotonous rhythm awakes my soul and i always manage to leave that awful fluorescent lit shoe-box room feeling good.
fact # 88
never wrestle with a pig. you get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.
I very rarely write posts on my own personal journey with weight management, but in reflecting on my experience in the past little while, I decided to do more of an inside view to my life… because though you may not believe it, I too battle every day with watching my weight.
Last week was probably the busiest I’ve had at work in a long time (at my ‘other’ day desk job that is), and culminated with a 40 person event I had planned and run. Not only was I working 12-14 hour days (so didn’t get to work out), was tired (so will power was down), but was not in control of my own meal plan – recipe for disaster! After 4 days of eating boxed sandwiches (trying hard to remove the white bread), coffee (to fight the tiredness), wine at dinners out, and cookies (which were my ultimate downfall), the scale was not happy with me.
But here’s where I pull up my big girl panties and get back on track. Staring at the scale showing I am now up 2.5 lbs (while I ha a goal of losing 5 before summer), I was tempted to get really frustrated and depressed. But after that initial reaction passed, I was resigned to get back on track.
What does this mean? For me, this is my go-to plan of plans:
Write down my goals
Be “SMART” (Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, Time based)
If you’re doing this, you must understand what it will take to achieve your goal; e.g. if you want to “lose 4 lbs in 1 month” – calculate then what that means as a goal for calories consumption, workout plan, etc..Use this great calculator from about.com to help: http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/calories-goal.php
Keep a food journal
based on the goal above, I track my progress against target calorie/fat/carb intake each day.
Keep an “I want” list..
I write down all of the treats I think I am missing out on (e.g. when I’m craving a cupcake, I write it down on my “I want” list). At the end of each week, I allow myself ONE of these treats.
Create a weekly workout plan
I generally up my cardio when I’m trying to lose weight, so I map out my days an time in the gym to allow for this.
Because I work full time and manage my calendar through outlook, I block in times for my workouts to ensure i get the time rather than being booked in meetings all day.
i hope that my own experience along the journey, and ideas for planning help you. Good luck!
I know the iphone is not a dedicated gps unit and won’t replace something like the Garmin Edge …. but i have one and apps are relatively cheap ince you have the phone. But so far I have to find one that I actually love.
What I want on my bike Screen is:
SPEED / MAX SPEED
Distance / Time
HR / Calories (or elevation/slope/Direction)
These are screen grabs from the garmin Edge 305 (with a smaller screen than the iPhone)
But then the iPhone must have an app as good or as versatile ….. No such luck – here is a run through
Better:
1. MotionX
(their blurb) MotionX-GPS is for your outdoor life:
That’s Walking, Hiking, Running, Cycling, Biking, Sailing, Skiing, Flying, Racing, Geocaching.
MotionX is committed to constant improvement. We listen to our millions of MotionX users and continuously add the most requested features. Recently added user-requested features include:
Map Storage Interface: Downloading and storing maps is faster and easier than ever. MotionX Terrain and Road maps can be stored for worldwide use and no data fees. High contrast skin style for easy daytime viewing. Support for GPX file import enables wirelessly importing of GPS tracks and waypoints from any source, anywhere.
2. TRAILBLAZER
(blurb) Monitor your speed, review your path, and share your travels. TrailBlazer lets you monitor and record where you are and how fast you’re going:
- see the route you’re taking on a map and monitor graphs of your speed and altitude
- review and share your paths.
Create colour-coded paths according to speed so you’ll know how fast you were going at any point along your track.
Create animating Google Earth files so you can watch your journey unfold in Google Earth and know exactly where you were as time progressed.
You can wirelessly download your track information from your iPhone directly to your Mac or PC using just a web browser!
3. The BIKE
Having a bicycle computer is one of the most fun (And geeky!) gadgets you can have on a bike. This one is similar but larger than a standard bike computer. None the less, this is a great little free app to have and I recommend it to all cyclists as long as you don’t want altitude and HRM functions.
4 GPSies
(blurb)
GPSies is the most easy to use iPhone Application that allows you to geo track your sports and leisure activities. Recorded tracks can be stored locally for later reference or uploaded to GPSies.com with one tap.
GPSies.com is the leading platform and community for GPS recorded tracks and is used by thousands of outdoor enthusiasts around the world.
Features
Record tracks. Pause and resume any time.
View elapsed time, current and average speed and pace.
View covered path and altitude profile.
One-tap upload to GPSies.com.
Export to all major formats and applications through GPSies.com.
Store tracks in the iPhone for later reference.
US and metric system support.
Recording interval adjustable to suit activity type.
Pocket mode for optimized battery life.
Edit tracks with map on GPSies.com.
This is pretty close to what I want apart from HRM functions
5. Trailguru
More of a cross sport web based app – for trails and paths.
(blurb) Use your iPhone 3G to do more than just listen to music while you run, bike, or hike. Download Trailguru and capture your outdoor activities using the iPhone 3G’s integrated GPS.
6. RUNKEEPER
Although more of a running app it could be used for mtb’ing. Basic functions and displays though
7. Misc BIKE QUIVER
Why you need this and why you would pay for it beats me – A free download like Evernote makes much more sense
After yesterdays post about exercise during pregnancy, there was a question about what specific reps and sets of resistance should be done.
So here goes…
…I have a short, official, answer and a long, unofficial, answer. Here is the short one:
There are no specific recommendations for sets/reps at present.
What this actually means is that in all the studies done so far, no one has been able to show if one sets/reps range is better/worse/safer/more dangerous than another. So no one is going to say “do this” or “do that”.
So this leads me to my longer, unofficial, answer.
Disclaimer!!!
Please bare in mind that from this point on, I am purely giving my own opinion built from my own understanding of the subject. If anyone out there knows for a fact that I am wrong, please let me know.
The factors I take into account are:
Women should try to maintain their fitness/strength, rather than improve it.
Joints can become “loose” during pregnancy.
With these factor in mind, I suggest that women could do far worse than simply
continuing with their usual sets/reps that they did before pregnancy, but decreasing the intensity as pregnancy develops.
eg – if you usually did 3 sets of 10 reps at 20kg…continue doing 3 sets of 10 reps, but with maybe only 15kg.
But because of the loosening of the joints, I would do exercises that involve both arms/legs simultaneously. eg shoulder press/squats instead of tricep kickbacks or lunges. This way, one limb can help/support the other. My thinking behind this is, if something happens to the joint in one limb, at least there is the other one there to take over/save the day.
This is the same reason you always find 2 pilots in airliners.
Of course, the above advice is fine if you have been doing exercise before you became pregnant (and I hope you have!). But what if you are new to exercise?
If this is the case, my advice would be to go to your local leisure centre and find/join a class for mothers-to-be. 10 minutes of hands on, face to face advice is worth a million web pages!
I was riding my mountain bike yesterday and all of the sudden it just came to me. I just started thinking about how many things I’ve learned through my own personal working out (since I was a kid and playing competitive sports) as well as being a trainer (since 1998). So today I just wanted to share some of the things this 36yr old has personally learned about all things health and fitness….in no certain order….
Pushups are the best upper body workout designed….no machine can replace that…you don’t need any equipment and you can do them anywhere.
It’s easy to become a certified trainer (as I have seen overweight people become certified)….it’s not easy to work as one full time (hence a high turnover rate in many clubs)
Diet is 85% of where results come from…..for muscle and fat loss. Many don’t focus here enough.
Working out too much doesn’t lead to good results….hence most people are still struggling after years of hard effort and little return.
While I was reading Miss Farahs blog I found out the months of March is National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
Explore Healthy Foods Through Books
Find coloring books or read books that introduce fruits and vegetables as characters, or have interesting stories that revolve around healthy foods. Books such as we love Kuwait coloring books.
Prepare Healthy Meals Together
Engaging children in the preparation of kid-friendly healthy dishes is so fun and so very messy, but children are more likely to eat something that they have helped to prepare. So, bring out those bowls, spoons and cups.
Don’t forget to dine together. Children who eat meals with their families tend to have better diets, not just because meals are planned, but because of the positive examples that are set at the table.
Get Creative
Make silly food faces out of fresh fruit and vegetable slices, and come up with amusing, silly names for the healthy foods you prepare. Celery and raisins become “ants on a log,” peanut butter and pretzels can be “mud on a stick,” and spaghetti with tomato sauce can turn into “wiggly worms.”
The golden word is “distraction.” The apple wedge is a boat, and their mouth is a river. Peas are made out of green. You can become a consummate actor or a verbal Picasso to get them to taste something new.
Pack Snacks Together
Children can also benefit from packing snacks for the day, or packing for a picnic. When planning a long-term getaway, encourage them to help with bagging individual portions of fruits, chilled veggies, cheese sticks, crackers, trail mix, water, 100% juice boxes, and other good choices. These are the images they will carry with them throughout their day.
Take Children Shopping
Young kids love to play grown-up. On a real excursion to the grocery store, allow the children to pick a new fruit or vegetable to try at home. Let them weigh their choice, bag it, and put it on the conveyor belt. Once home, let them help you present it to the family. Try to avoid flying through each aisle like a secret agent on a mission. Slow down and turn shopping into a learning experience.
And most importantly always prepare a healthy lunch box. Add a lot of color with fruits and vegetables and as we said before presentation is key!
Here are 2 blogs that I highly recommend. They are both written by Kuwaiti mothers who are dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles.
welovekuwait
healthyinkuwait
Another great campaign that promotes healthy lifestyle in Kuwait is Get healthy Kuwait by Taiba Hospital and Diet Care.
I am focusing on getting a handle on my new schedule. It is a lot harder than it looks to not waste time on random things and to just stick to getting my homework done. But today I thought I would look at my morning routine and talk about the new aspects I am adding to it.
Lately, I have been having problems with breakouts on my face. I know it is due to my lack of washing my face every night before I go to bed and I also lean my lower jaw on my chin quite often. These are two habits I need to break, so I purchased the Proactive system to help me keep on track with my face washing and clean up my skin. I received the system last Wednesday and started it that night.
Proactive is a three part system. The first is a scrub that you use for 1-2 minutes and then wash off. It is rough with little scrubby bubble in it. This is washed off after the allotted time and pat dry (Though you need to make sure that you use a white towel to pat your face dry because it WILL bleach your fabrics.). The second step is to use a cotton ball and take the green liquid (like astringent) and cover your entire face with it, allowing it to dry. Most astringent burns, but I am happy to report that this does not. The final step is a white cream that you will then cover your face with and allow to dry.
After only about 1/2 a week of use, I can already say that I am happy with the product. My face is softer, both visibly and tactically, and I can already tell that my skin is looking clearer. Not only am I getting these bonuses, this system makes me want to take better care of my skin. I need to wash my face morning and night to get the best results so the system helps be build better habits.
Another addition to my morning routine is a teeth whitener. I always enjoy having whiter teeth so I recently picked up Crest White Strips, the 7 day system. I have used this in the past, but the 14 day system that shows results but at a much slower rate. I am hoping this pack will show the desired results.
I have also purchased EA Sports Active and have been doing the exercises every morning. Now, you may not believe me but dang that is a workout! I was sweating my butt off the first day. They had me running, squatting, cardio boxing, and many more. I will say that I am pretty impressed. The workouts last around 30 minutes and burn around 200 calories. Not only am I burning calories, but there are also toning exercises.
There is a 30 day program in the game that I am doing now. It sets goals in calorie burns and time. I am interested to see where this game goes in terms of other workouts and helping me with weight loss. I am also walking for an hour with my dogs each day. I am hoping that balancing a good diet while doing the walks and the 30 day program will show results.
I am going for the goal of 2-4 pounds per week loss. Let’s get this party started!
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Lawrence was sceptical about the tortilla wrap, but he loved it! (and so did i) Where it crisps up around the edge is super tasty!
(he hates cheese! *gasp*)
Standing for 6.5 hours is pretty boring!!) So i’ve packed up 2 snacks to eat throughout the afternoon, a definity crisp bar and 2/3 of fage 0% with 1/2 banana, some black grapes and 1 sq crumbled dark chocolate. Yummy!! I may eat 1/2 bowl of Covent Garden’s winter vegetable soup (soo good and high protein!) when i get home, depends if i am hungry or not! I’ll probably just want to collapse in my bed 
I very rarely write posts on my own personal journey with weight management, but in reflecting on my experience in the past little while, I decided to do more of an inside view to my life… because though you may not believe it, I too battle every day with watching my weight.
Map Storage Interface: Downloading and storing maps is faster and easier than ever.
