Typically I am not one to regularly look back over the past and reassess things for the future. It always sounds good in theory, but in my world the reality is that I usually just plow ahead, hoping for change in areas that need it… and just as typically doing the same things with the same results. However, I think this year calls for something different. So I will try to view the last year, especially in terms of health and fitness, a little more analytically, to see if I can improve on things in 2013. My post today will look back…and tomorrow I will look ahead. I updated my workouts this morning and took the time to really inspect last year’s fitness regimen. There were a few things I noticed….some good, some not so good. I’ll start with the good… [Read more…]
9 Kid Fitness Year in Review
Cold and Flu Season…How Can Exercise Help (or Hurt)
Should we exercise when we have a cold?
Should we workout if we have a cold or a cough…or should we lay low for a while? Well, that depends on what the ailment is. If your symptoms are from the neck up, meaning you have sniffles, a runny nose, headache and perhaps a very mild cough, it’s probably OK to perform a mild workout. The key is to make sure you have no difficulty breathing during or after a workout. Experts agree that going at one third your normal pace might be the best way to proceed and if you feel worse a few hours later – a few days rest are in order.
Fever is the limiting factor, says Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert. “The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker,” he says in a WEBMd article. If you have a fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, sit the workout out, he says. I don’t know about most people, but when I have a fever of 101…the last thing I want to do is exercise. [Read more…]
Two Quick Workouts for the Last Few Days Before Christmas
It’s catch as catch can right now. During the last few weeks, if I don’t get a workout in before 7 am..it’s hasn’t happened. But I am tired and the sound of the alarm at 5:45 lately has not been nearly persuasive enough…. So I am looking at a quick workout today to fit in before 5 pm…and I am guessing the next few days will be the same.
The following are a few quick and dirty workouts that take no more than 20 minutes but work the whole body. 8-10lb. weights are needed, but other than that no equipment is necessary. The first workout is my own go-to plan which I’ve been doing for a while and which I have always found effective. The others are 10 minute workouts from Oprah.com. [Read more…]
Go For an Early Morning Run to Quiet the Noise
I met my friend Stacy this morning at 5 am at the pool where our kids have morning practice every Monday. It was dark and never got light until well after we returned from our hour and a half run. The temperature was a little warm for my taste (especially for this time of year), and there was a mist in the foggy air. It was beautiful, though. Just a few streetlights were on and the Christmas lights on the homes and in the yards we passed presented a soft early morning glow. And it was quiet. That is something I long for in these busy December days. [Read more…]
One Good Reason NOT to Lose Those Last 5 Pounds
“I just want to lose those last 5 pounds!” That is a common thing to hear from many…but I read a recent article revealing one good reason not to worry about those last five. As a super model and one who has adhered to a consistent workout regimen for over 25 years, Cindy Crawford knows a thing or two about trying to look her best. In an interview for SHAPE magazine, Crawford explained that losing and gaining even just five pounds can have a negative impact on the skin on our face, resulting in saggy, older looking skin. As we age we do not retain the supple skin tone of our younger years, regardless of what we do to prevent it, but most of us do our best to prevent it in some way. However, Crawford explained that fluctuations in weight can take a toll on both our metabolism and our face. “You lose elasticity because your skin stretches, then it goes back to normal…and then stretches (even a little) again…and it causes sagging”. Crawford said, “I always remind myself that losing those last five pounds just isn’t worth it”! When we lose weight, our faces can look less full. While we may think this would be a good thing, it can have negative effects such as a saggy and drawn-out look. I wholeheartedly concur… one reason not to worry about those last five pounds…!
Keeping Advent and Christmas
An Advent wreath is just one way to bring meaning to the season…
I move away from the fitness subject today. I find that I become easily frustrated this time of year. It’s not the hustle and bustle, the baking and decoratons, or even the Christmas cards (which I am hoping to finally get out this year). It’s the bombardment of the “shopping mall version” of Christmas that always seems to get me down. Don’t get me wrong… good ol’ Saint Nick himself isn’t the cause of my angst. We celebrate his visit in our home on December 6th (the Feast of Saint Nicholas) when shoes are filled with treats and surprises and we get a glimpse of the special giving of the Christmas season. Even the modern jolly, plump Santa is hard not to like, after all. [Read more…]
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