My favorite exercise is the push-up. It is great for upper body and core strength, and you don’t have to have any equipment to do it. I remember my good friend Karrie, who is a personal trainer, telling me that when she is pressed for time with her clients, she likes to do push-ups because they are such an efficient strength exercise. Since I don’t do sit-ups because of the pelvic floor muscles, the push-up is one of the main abdominal exercises I do. [Read more…]
My Goal…100 Push-ups!
April 12, 2011 by 5 Comments
Like Love, Exercise is a Decision
April 11, 2011 by 4 Comments
James and I first heard the words, “Love is a decision” from a Catholic priest about five years after we were married. It was a bit of a paradigm shift. Even in the pre-marriage class we attended, we could not remember hearing that concept. However, after only five years of marriage, we both knew the truth of those words.
In the early years of our married life, we still relied on good “old-fashioned love”. We figured that is what would sustain us through inevitable hard times. And good times, too. Our immature hearts would trump our rational brains into believing that love is a feeling, always there, always reliable. But by the time we heard those words, like most married couples, the honeymoon was over, and the reality of three children, a mortgage, and the everyday stresses of life had taken its place. At this point the decision to love seemed like an idea worth exploring. [Read more…]
Five Reasons Exercise Makes Me a Better Mom
April 7, 2011 by 1 Comment
Here are five quick and dirty reasons why I think exercise makes me a better mom. I will elaborate on each of these in the weeks to come, but for now…
1.Exercise enhances my mood. Whether it’s the endorphins, the fresh air, or a good sweat, I almost always feel better after I exercise. And when I feel better…I can be a better mom. Exercise is also a stress reliever. If I am tired, sluggish, or a little blue, running or working out usually gives me a new outlook. When I’m positive, my kids are more likely to be positive! And if they are not…at least someone is!
2. Exercise keeps me sharp. Brain functioning has been shown to improve with exercise. Dr. John Ratey, a Harvard psychiatrist, has studied the relationship between the brain and exercise and the results are exciting. He explains how even a brisk walk can enhance brain function. “Exercise stimulates our gray matter to produce ‘Miracle-Gro’ for the brain,” he said. “I can’t understate how important regular exercise is in improving the function and performance of the brain,” he says. “It’s such wonderful medicine.” [Read more…]
Quote of the Week: Always Upward!
March 28, 2011 by 12 Comments
Quote of the Week: Verso l’Alto…Always Upward! Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
I have always been fascinated by Pope John Paul II. What many people don’t know about this incredible man of God, is that he was a fine athlete and outdoorsman as well. Even during the early years of his papacy, John Paul II was hiking, swimming, and running. He was criticized, in fact, for jogging in the Vatican Gardens, since tourists could see him from the top of the dome of St. Peters. When he was questioned about the cost of installing a pool so he could swim laps in the summer, he said, “It’s cheaper than a new conclave”. [Read more…]
An Insane Workout!
March 25, 2011 by 2 Comments
I did the Insanity DVD (from Beachbody.com) workout this morning with my sister, Susan, at the gym. Some of the gym members meet at 6 a.m. every morning to do a P90X or Insanity workout. I have done P90X at home, but Insanity? I just don’t think I would do this kind of thing at home. Not because of the format, but because of the kind of workout it is. Imagine a calisthenics class with a boot camp instructor yelling and motivating you in a school gym with a bunch of VERY fit people alongside him, looking way too happy…! [Read more…]
You Can Laugh without Leaking
March 24, 2011 by 2 Comments
You Can Laugh Without Leaking was the name of a talk that I recently attended. Lead by a gynecologist and a physical therapist, the subject of the talk was stress incontinence, something lots of people would rather avoid talking about. I was one of only a few women there under the age of 60. However, according to both speakers, stress incontinence is not an issue reserved for older people. Plenty of women in their 30’s and 40’s have some symptoms of stress incontinence. And frankly, I think it is a shame that more women my age are not hearing this valuable information. Maybe it’s the dirty little secret of the mommy world. However, I believe knowledge is powerful, and in this case, the sooner we gain this essential knowledge about the pelvic floor muscles, the sooner we can do something about it!
There was such an abundance of important tips given at the talk, that one blog post can not do it justice. But I will be writing a lot more about this subject in posts to come.
Who says you have to workout to get a workout?
March 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
So much for best laid plans! When the alarm sounded off in my ear this morning, there was no way I was getting out of bed. Even a second blaring of the alarm 10 minutes later was not going to arouse me. When I set the alarm last night, it was 10 pm. That was right before Thomas, my 16 year old, asked for help with the second paragraph of the paper he was struggling to write. About two hours later I emerged from the bonus room (he was still furiously writing), only to remember the email I needed to send before I went to sleep. At about 12:45, I finally fell into bed. [Read more…]
Kettlebell Craze
March 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The kettlebell seems to be all the rage! I recently went to a course where the instructor showed us various moves to do with the versatile kettlebell. Apparently this unique piece of equipment (imagine a weight shaped a little like a cow bell) has been around for over 300 years! Like any weight equipment, it is important that it be used correctly to avoid injury. In fact, whenever I see someone using it, I feel the need to stand back a few feet because it always seems like the weight of the kettlebell will cause someone to hurl it as they swing it. I know that is unlikely…but you never know! [Read more…]
Strength Training
March 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I used to really hate strength training! Or more accurately, I hated what I thought was strength training. I could do a cardio workout all day long (not really, just saying) but a weight workout…that was torture! Now, I’ve come to enjoy strength training, and I’ve broadened my understanding of what “strength” means. Part of the problem was that to me, the word strength meant primarily weights. I wasn’t interested in becoming bulky, and lifting weights was burdensome, so it seemed impractical to me. At the end of a run or after a swim workout, I would try to fit in a few upper and lower body weights to “tone” up and to gain some strength, mostly to avoid injury. But one day, I tagged along with one of my kids to a personal trainer (we had given her some sessions and the trainer let me come for free) I was amazed at the intensity of the hour long workout, especially at how my heart rate increased and stayed fairly high throughout. The idea that strength and cardio could be done at the same time was a new concept for me. Still, a personal trainer is expensive and took a lot of time. For me it wasn’t realistic. [Read more…]
One Minute Exercises
February 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
“I can do anything for one minute!” This is my motto for working out at home. It’s hard to stay motivated when I’m not at a gym with an instructor or when there are no other people sweating and working out around me. At home, it’s only me. So I need ways to stay enthusiastic and engaged. I have found that short, intense exercises that take strength and focus help me to do that. Hence, the “one minute” motto! Using a little timer set to run back from one minute, I press start and know that, however difficult the exercise is, I only have to do it for 60 seconds. [Read more…]
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