Okay, this really isn’t just an excuse for me to get out of doing a sit-up (although I know a good excuse when I see one). Sit-ups and crunches (a sit-up with smaller range of motion) are still the old standby exercise for abdominal muscles. However, I think there are good reasons for some women to be cautious about doing them. [Read more…]
Ladies, Beware of Crunches
March 10, 2011 by 9 Comments
To Exercise or To Sleep…That is the Question!
March 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
To Exercise or to Sleep….that is the question!! We might as well face it: we can’t do it all. There are no “extra” hours in the day just waiting for us to use for sleep and exercise. I am often faced with the dilemma: sleep or workout? Now in my 40’s, I face this more than I did in my 20’s or 30’s, when it seemed “I could do it all”! I find that the answer has a lot to do with trying to keep balance in my life. We can usually sense when our bodies are sleep deprived. As a mother of nine, and with one child still under the age of two, I can honestly say that I have been sleep deprived for about 20 years! [Read more…]
A Power Nap is Pretty Powerful
March 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I can’t remember anything else on the list. Just #5.
It read, Take a cat nap everyday. At the time I thought it was a quaint and old-fashioned idea. But not a very practical one. Once my older kids weren’t napping anymore, I figured I had to give mine up as well. The list was given to me by a friend. It was 5 Things Busy Moms Need to do Everyday. Having forgotten the other four long ago, I now understand the wisdom in #5!
Whether our work is at home with kids, or out of the home, a daily cat nap is invaluable. I try to steal one at least three days a week! Ideally, I should be doing it everyday. I am totally amazed at the difference in how I feel after I close my eyes and really try to rest (in quiet) for 20 minutes. A power nap is like a free version of 5-Hour Energy.
Here are just a few of the rewards of a 10-20 minute cat nap: improved brain functioning, renewed energy, and looking and feeling better. Closing your eyes for a power nap is more difficult to do if your work is at an office, but it is not impossible. Sleeping is not the goal. Just closing your eyes and trying to relax for at least 10 to 15 minutes is all you have to do to reap the benefits of a power nap. There is nothing old-fashioned about that! I would argue, in fact, that we need a daily nap in today’s world more than ever before!
Exercise and Pregnancy
March 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Boy, am I a hypocrite! I have nine children, and, with the exception of baby #1(Charlie), I ran throughout each pregnancy. Baby number 5 (Annie) was born a few hours after I ran 4 miles. And I ran the day before number’s 8 (C.C.) and 9 (Sam) were born. Every pregnancy went to term, with more than a few going beyond the due date. My mother, understandably, disapproved at first. But I reassured her that the minute I thought something wasn’t right, or felt that running was not good for the baby, I would immediately stop. I felt very fortunate that my doctors were supportive, and I always knew that I could talk to them without feeling judged.
With all of that being said, I could not believe my gut reaction the day I was driving and I saw a pregnant woman running. She was at least seven months along, maybe more. And it looked, well…wrong! It just didn’t seem right. That’s all I could think. I quickly recovered, and thought, “Good for her!” However, I couldn’t shake that initial feeling when I saw her swollen tummy and watched her running. Wow, what a hypocrite I was!
Things have come a long way since our mothers and grandmothers were pregnant. But what is now acceptable? Is it okay to run throughout the pregnancy? To do aerobics? Pilates? Lift weights? A recent article in Runner’s World talked about exercise and pregnancy.
Is Coffee Good for You?
February 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I like coffee. Especially the dark roast variety. No cream or sugar. If I order it at Starbucks, it’s a “Venti half-caff”. If I make it at home, it’s Dunkin Donut’s French Roast.
My relationship with coffee started a long time ago when I was a camp counselor in the mountains of North Carolina near Asheville. The counselors gathered every morning before breakfast to hear the day’s events. It was always cold, even in the summer, and I would pour a cup of coffee just to let the steam float up to my face. It would warm me up instantly. After a few weeks of this, I decided it smelled pretty good and I might as well taste it. I did. The rest is history… [Read more…]
Posture Tips from my Grandmother
February 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
My Grandmother would not be impressed! When I was growing up, she would always say to me, “Stand up straight”, “Fix your posture”, “Walk like a lady”. If I had practiced what she preached when I was young, I would probably have good posture now. Unfortunately, nine babies didn’t help me correct any bad habits I started back then. Fortunately, though, it’s not too late for me. Like so many things, awareness is the first step to change. Lately I have been doing a little research, and I’ve discovered that there are some little ways I can begin to improve postural stance right now. For more information on posture, visit Posture Tips.
Almost ready…
February 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Water, Is it Boring?
February 10, 2011 by 2 Comments
Is it just me, or is water a boring drink? I have a tough time drinking enough of it. It is not that I don’t realize the excellent health benefits of water. My goodness, we would die without it! After a workout, I can’t wait for a bottle of it, but the rest of the time I have to force myself to drink it. I have known plenty of people who love water, so maybe it’s an acquired taste? I have been drinking it all my life, though, so how much more acquiring is it going to take? I’ve tried the flavored waters, and those are great. But that gets expensive. If anyone has any tips for drinking more water, I would love to hear them! Here’s a good article about the benefits of drinking plenty of water.
Morning Exercise
February 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I am a morning person, are you? If you are a morning person, exercise is a great way to start your day. For those who are not, maybe it’s not too late to try. At first, choose one day a week to wake up early to workout. See how it feels. I bet you won’t regret it! Here are a few reasons I think morning workouts are best: [Read more…]
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